Inverted Triforce
by Farrandall
Summary: The cycle has continued to occur as it normally did all in the past few millennia. Until this time; the Triforce has been switched around and it's now up to the new holder of the Wisdom piece of Triforce to solve this mess. Rated M for possible language and later content. *Keep an eye out for the sequel.*
1. Chapter 1

The sound of heavy breathing echoed within the densely wooded area. The dry leaves rustled with every step Heala took, aggravating her. The silence would be a godsend. Heala wiped the sweat from her brow as she looked upward to the bare tree branches.

From behind her, the sound of rustling leaves and snapping twigs alerted her of the quick approach. Her feet carried her as fast as they could again.

For about a week she had been on the run from local goblins. Her now former friend had tricked her into thinking a necklace was a lucky charm for hunting. Turns out it was enchanted with some scent that attracts goblins.

Sliding behind a large tree, she climbed into the open roots under the tree. When the trees grew strong enough, they began to lift themselves from the ground, creating a "cage" beneath it. They grew tall enough to hold an adult underneath them sometimes. Once in a while, these massive trees would also have vines covering the exposed roots. Covering her mouth, she listened for any sounds.

Numerous feet hurried by her and kept looking about. When she was sure they were gone, she uncovered her mouth and relaxed for a moment.

At the beginning of the chase, Heala had realized the necklace was bringing them toward her. In an attempt to get it far away from her, she threw it off in the distance. However, it kept reappearing in her pockets as if it had never left. She saw it leave her hands. She felt it leave them. Then, as soon as she would reach for a pocket, the necklace would reappear.

Because it would continue to draw them to her, Heala knew hiding would not be a permanent solution from the goblins. Exhausted, she began to look around through holes between the roots and vines.

A cold, wet, and lumpy hand grabbed her arm from behind her. With a rough jerk, she was pulled out from under the tree. The massive goblin had pulled her out and now held her up as much as it could.

Goblins are small, stumpy characters whose height never exceeds four feet. Being only three quarters of her height, he wasn't able to lift her to her feet. When he lifted her it made Heala kneel. They have a smell similar to that of fresh cut grass, contrary to the appearance they have. Goblin skin colors range between a deep green and a deep purple. Their skin is lumpy and covered in warts. Typically, they also hold the overall shape of balls with feet and arms. This one in particular held such a shape. His comrades, however, were small and slim. In the goblin kingdom, dominance is defined by size.

The disproportioned bodies made it difficult for them to walk smoothly. With a large, strong chest and long arms, he had no problem lifting Heala up by her arm to just above her knees. He threw her back on the ground and glared.

His fat face twisted as he grunted at her.

"I don't speak your language," Heala yelled at them as she tried to sit up.

When Heala sat up, she tried to take her legs out from under the tree, the goblins stopped her by grabbing her. Two smaller goblins grabbed her forearms and dragged her out freeing her feet momentarily. This time they didn't release her. Two more came forward. They tied her hands together, then her feet before she could make an adequate effort to escape.

"Can't you just take the damn thing," Heala yelled at them.

They ignored her.

Heala was forced to travel with them. They paid no mind to any protests, or actions she made unless it threatened their ability to keep her with them. In a makeshift wagon that was obviously made while they were chasing her, she accompanied them. It was wobbly and it surprised her how it didn't break apart every time it went over a bump. The wagon was thrown together using sticks, and long wooden planks that seemed to have a shape as if they had belonged to a barrel. It was an uneventful travel. In the mean time, she occupied herself by brooding on the circumstances her "friend" seemed to have gotten her into.

Heala is a young girl from a small village deep in a forest. Her kind is known as wooded elves. The distinguishable feature of wood elves is the pointed ears. Aside from it, they bear uncanny resemblance to humankind.

While most of them have black or brown hair, Heala was born with blond hair and eyes bright as the daytime sky. Like a ripple in a lake, they change colors starting at the pupil. Her traits are well known to be related to a legend passed down amongst her people. Unfortunately, it's not a good story and leads to the ultimate destruction of the wood elf race. Thus, from birth she was segregated. Despite it, she managed to make some friends, or so she thought.

The sudden stop on the wagon jerked Heala from her thoughts. Shifting her gaze upward, a cold fear ran through her blood.

A dark castle stood before her. The wood around it was dead and beginning to blacken. The castle walls seemed to be made of dark, shining rock. Sharp points covered the castle roof sporadically.

Now, the goblins approached more cautiously. With slower movement, Heala was able to fully take in the surroundings. Statues that probably looked proud, now held a heavy coat of dust and were lucky to still have all appendages and limbs. Where grass could have grown stood dry dirt. The perimeter of the castle was outlines with a tall black fence. Like the castle, it held sharp peaks along the top of the fence.

Sooner than she would've liked, the castle doors towered over them. Slowly, they creaked open.

The goblins trickled through the doors, occasionally glancing around nervously. As they stood, they hopped from foot to foot, seeming to preoccupy their simple minds. They seemed scared too.

"You found it?" A deep voice traveled through the dark room.

When the doors closed, Heala had just begun to notice the falling beads of sweat.

In response, the largest goblin grunted and snorted.

"Really," Ganon responded, "You mean you found the true owner."

Another grunt responded. This time it came from behind her.

Following a snap of his fingers, flames shot up in torches along the wall.

The dark room lit to show a large, tall room that had a staircase on each side, meeting in the middle. The combined staircases then lead to the door.

Dark skin with hair that shined like a flame stood out to her immediately. These were traits described in stories Heala heard when she was growing up. The numbing fear she was feeling seemed to evolve. Her stomach gripped coldly at her insides. Staring into his green eyes, she didn't want to believe that those gruesome tales were true.

"It seems the roles have reversed," he held a smirk. "That blond hair, and those blue eyes. None other than Zelda may hold those traits amongst her people," he said somewhat softly, as if reminiscing. His large hand began to stroke his chin. With a wave of his other hand, the cloth was taken out of her mouth.

"Do you know why you're here, Zelda?"

"No," Heala paused, swallowing, "Ganon."

Ganon's laugh bellowed out, causing the goblins to jump.

"You know who I am. What a compliment."

"My name is not Zelda," Heala practically growled at him.

"I don't care what they call you now. You're Zelda," Ganon said dismissively. Before she could respond, he looked off into the distance briefly before looking back down at her again.

"These are different circumstances. Very different. I suppose I should do away with this threat while it's being handed to me now," His joy showed in his voice. The goblins rounded on her with weapons drawn.

"Finish her," he said in a quieted voice. Cold eyes filled with hatred looked down at her before he turned on his heel. His footsteps grew quieter up the stairs as the goblins closed in on her.

Closing her eyes, Heala lifted her bound wrists above her head. Clenching her eyes shut, she hoped the luck would be on her side against these goblins. Luckily she had decent experience defending herself after getting fed up with other children.

A sword was brought down on her hands. With her palms facing upward, fingers curled, the goblin brought the sword down. Watching the sword carefully, she lifted her arms toward the sword as she rolled backwards. This wasn't a tactic she was not familiar with using. Thus, her clumsiness nearly caught up with her when the sword nearly collided with her neck.

She brought herself to her feet coming out of the roll and finished the job of tearing off the rope. The goblin she rolled toward swung its axe at her knees. Attempting to dodge that as well, Heala accomplished this by bending her knees and pushing herself forward. Stretching her hands out as she fell, she grabbed the shoulders of the goblin that held the sword she used to cut her hands free.

In the moment it was caught off guard, she had stolen the weapon. Quickly freeing her tied feet, she was able to defend herself. Surrounded in a circle, it didn't seem like she'd have a good chance. However, She saw that they now seemed uncertain and were ready to flee. It took her best effort to fight off the goblins through bluffs with a weapon she had never used before. Heala swung the sword back and forth, keeping the goblins a short distance away. Eventually they began to flee, leaving her with pumping adrenaline and a fear that Ganon may return at any moment. They didn't leave through the castle doors, but instead withdrew further into the castle. Her heart hammering in her chest, she wanted nothing more than to leave.

Heala ran to the castle doors, attempting to open them. To her dismay, they didn't budge. Turning quickly, she surveyed the surroundings trying to find another escape route.

Holding the sword tightly, she looked to the left and right, debating which hallway to take. Ganon had gone upstairs, and she'd rather not run into him again. Gripping the sword, she headed to her right, following the wall with her free hand.

When Heala was much smaller, she would sit with the other children and listen to the stories her village had to share. Full of anticipation like the other children, she listened to the story of heroism that made their imaginations run wild.

The tale told of a boy in green who rescues the land using the aid of a wise princess. The boy in green would go on a quest and gather items that would grant him the power needed to overcome the evil bearer of power. When the hero had found the sword with the help of his Sheikah companion, he was able to easily vanquish the enemies before him. Thus, he was able to defeat the evil power and bring peace to the land.

After the story, they would go on to tell the children that was a cycle that would never end because a curse casted long ago. The boy in green, the wise princess, and the evil bearer of power were doomed to live out the horrid cycle for centuries, millennia, and more.

Heala was named Zelda because of her striking different appearance. However, they had told her that she isn't a princess so she couldn't be _that_ Zelda. Villagers concluded that she could not be Zelda despite her deceased mother and father naming her Zelda. They began calling her Heala. Hoping they would treat her better, she accepted the name.

A loud thump resounded from just above her, causing her to stop. Nervously, she looked up to the ceiling, glancing further down the never-ending hall, waiting for something to appear. Another loud thump echoed as she gasped and jumped back this time.

Feigning bravery, Heala gripped the sword tightly and backed away from the direction the thumping seemed to come from. Listening carefully, Heala waited for the next one.

When another never came, she turned to continue walking in the direction she had originally gone. Now she took time to look around her, expecting another thump at any moment.

With the next thump, Heala could've jumped right out of her skin. She spun on her heel with the sword pointed in front of her, ready to attack.

When the cold, hard laugh reverberated through the endless hall, a cold fear ran through Heala. Loud, slow and steady, Ganon's footsteps resounded through the hall.

Shining green eyes seemed to glitter despite the dim lighting. He approached with a grin that made Heala's stomach twist into a knot. Each step he took, she took one back.

"Are you ready to accept your fate, Zelda? I won't let you and that boy destroy me again," Ganon bellowed.

Ganon's hands motioned as if he were moving them around a sphere. A small light grew until it filled the motioned area up. White sparks flew from it as it was fired at her. Before Heala could dodge, she was thrown back against the wall. Her vision was lost as she slumped down to the ground. Letting out one last breath, she felt herself slip into darkness.

Ganon stared down at her. Kneeling down beside her, he gently grabbed a lock of hair between his fingers. The soft blond hair made his blood boil. For a long time he had dreamed of the time he could finally end the damned curse on their lives. He was sure that they too wished to one day be born again and not have to seek revenge for his misdeeds.

This time, Ganon mentally noted, Zelda was born with courage, him with wisdom. This meant that the boy who was supposed to be a hero was the bearer of power. Yet, he had not heard of him yet. Had power decided not to taint his mind?

Scoffing, Ganon cleared her hair from her face. Her skin was a milky white as opposed to his dark, sun-kissed skin. Among the Gerudo, he was seen as a strikingly handsome man. It made no sense why the triforce was scattered the way it did. He was prepared to kill Zelda, Link, and himself once the pieces had been gathered. Now that he had the advantage of wisdom, he knew what he could do to truly destroy the triforce. And yet… Ganon wondered if there would actually be an end to the cycles.

Heala awoke in a dungeon cell. The bed was comfortable, however it smelled of moss, damp air, and it was dark. Immediately sitting up, Heala . She didn't think she'd wake up. Relief washed over her as she looked down at her hands. On her right hand was the triforce that children seemed to hate about her. It had never shined as brightly as it did in that moment. She held the bottom right triangle. Gold seemed to be throbbing as she stared at it. With the other hand, Heala rubbed it. Hope made her wish it would simply vanish.

"He said you're Zelda," a voice came from the wall of bars. It was a human. She didn't have much but a sword that looked slightly big for him and a set of armor that seemed too heavy.

Who was she to object to the original name her parents had given her? Now that she probably would never see her village again, there was no point in denying that she would be following in the footsteps of her ancestors.

"Yes, I'm Zelda," she agreed.

"I'm here to take care of you. My name is Amelia."

Amelia smiled innocently at Zelda. Her large eyes wrinkled as the smile reached her eyes. Zelda didn't return the smile.

"Why hasn't he killed me?"

The young girl looked taken aback. "That's because this cycle of reincarnation isn't the same as the others," she began. Her voiced became a quieter as she continued. "I'm sure you're aware of your role as Zelda in the stories. This time you're the hero and Ganon is the wisdom."

Zelda's surprise caused the girl to continue on. "So you weren't aware. He's been waiting for a sign that the bearer of power is alive and rampaging. However, Ganon was still the one boy born of the Gerudo. We're all confused by this…"

"If I'm not a threat, then why am I locked up?"

"Because of that necklace."

Zelda had forgotten about the necklace. Feeling her pockets, she took it out and examined the piece.

"That necklace holds the answer to this mess. It belonged to a Zelda of another cycle! When the Royal Family lost power, the necklace also lost its way. Ganon has been trying to find you for five years."

In her palm, Zelda ran a thumb over the small piece. It looked like an ordinary human necklace. The chain was simple and clean silver with speckled black bits in it. The charm was a triangle made with the same shiny black stone that made up the terrifying castle's exterior. The chain ran through the stone with dangling colored chains in the order of emerald, ruby and sapphire, then reverse on the other side of the stone.

Colored gemstones, such as sapphire and ruby, were items known to the elves as Goron food. They held no value in the elven community, but when a piece is found it's admired by all until a merchant pawns it off of them. In Zelda's case a friend had given it to her. They probably didn't know it had a special bond with her, she hoped. Even though barely any time had passed since she was in her village last, she couldn't remember it very well. Zelda didn't want to remember the village.

Playing with the stone, she looked up at the barred wall only to find it empty. The young girl had left. Deciding she had nothing better to do, Zelda went back to sleep to empty her racing mind.

"Wake up," growled a low, gruff voice.

Zelda turned away from the voice.

A warm hand pulled her shoulder gently. "Ganon would like to speak with you," he tried again.

At the mention of Ganon's name, Zelda's eyes slowly opened. "If I don't want to see him," she asked in an even tone.

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice, Zelda." His voice showed genuine concern for her.

At this point, she realized she had no reason to fear him. This cycle, he would be her ally if the bearer of power turned out to be evil. In that case, Zelda decided she would accept it. Yet, she was ready for him to betray her.

When she brought her feet over the edge of the bed, she looked up at the man sent to retrieve her. He stood tall and muscular with sharp, defined features. His eyes were slightly small and close together, but the authority lacking in his face was made up for in his low voice.

Zelda was waiting for him to back away so she could get up. She stared at him expectantly.

Instead of moving, he wrapped a cloth over her eyes. "I have to keep the way a secret. This way you won't be able to find your way out of the dungeons," he explained as she was ready to protest. He helped her stand, tied her hands together and brought her out of the cell.

There was no conversation as he led her around. Zelda tried to keep track of the directions, but he did a good job making it seem like they only went straight. The absence of conversation made the time seem to pass more slowly, allowing her to begin brooding on her thoughts.

When he finally sat her down and removed the cloth, she found herself staring at a long table with an irritated Ganon sitting on the other end. Her hands were untied next and she rubbed them gently as they stared each other down.

"It appears that we may need to set out to find the hero. Hopefully we can end this curse before anything," he paused to glance at the table, "horrific occurs."

"What will happen if we let it stay this way," Zelda asked, clearly annoyed. In that moment, she decided she would rather be the damsel in distress.

"Dear Zelda, this is a horrible mix-up of events. While I like not having to look forward to my defeat, I would much rather be doing something other than sitting here memorizing the future that seems to be becoming more and more apparent."

"Tell me what the future is," Zelda responded in a testy manner.

"It's not that simple."

"Why?"

"You may have some courage, but now you're missing your wit, Zelda."

"It's not my fault you don't want to tell me."

"If I don't tell you the series of events, that leaves room for the future to change."

"Do we find Link?"

Ganon visibly flinched at the name. That's right, Zelda noted, this entire time they had never mentioned his name.

"All I know is that he dwells amongst the humans. He is there but he hasn't made himself known yet," he replied curtly.

Zelda stared at him as he rubbed his temples. His flaming hair was short, but she had only just then noticed the flaming beard he wore. It looked thick and merely added to the massive outline he held. He opened his eyes and bore into hers. She sat up, surprised by him suddenly looking at her, but she didn't look away until he did.

Parting her lips, she was ready to voice the questions she had thought over, but he beat her to it.

"From here on, you are welcome to dwell in this castle seeing as how your village doesn't seem to miss you. Seeing as how we are allies, we had better get used to one another. Starting in two days, we will begin actively searching for… him."

Zelda made no objections to his demands. With fresh food placed before her, she didn't feel the immediate urge to throw any of her cheeky comments at him.

After eating in silence, she was brought to a different room. It was plain and small. It only had a dresser, mirror, bed and end table with a lit candle. Opening the dresser, she saw the familiar legendary green tunic she was accustomed to hearing of.

Closing it, she went to sleep.  
>_<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Ladies and gentlemen, greetings! Please, if you have a moment add a review or send me a message with feedback. This is a story I've mulled over for a long time, but I'd like to improve my writing. Please point out any typos, and sentences that do not make sense! Thank you, and have a nice day, lovelies.

* * *

><p>The two days passed uneventfully around the castle. She avoided him and he avoided her. Meals were taken in her room, and she only left when she needed to. After sleeping and thinking the time away, she was wearing the legendary green garbs ready to head to the nearest human dwellings with Ganon. The carriage they had was moderately packed with nothing but necessary supplies. It was a comfortable size for the two of them to both sit up front and use the carriage for shelter when resting. Together, with Ganon steering and Zelda sitting beside him, they left the castle.<p>

Covering their normal clothing were thick hide cloaks. They smelled of new leather and kept them warm from the winter winds that were beginning to sweep the land.

Both had their hoods up to protect them from the bitter wind, ignoring the other's presence. To pass the time and avoid conversation, Zelda decided to preoccupy herself with the art of carving. It was something she had practiced since she was small. She used to make herself wooden "friends" that she knew would never make fun of her.

Each time they stopped to let the horses drink and feed, she would acquire a new piece of wood to carve up with her small knife. By the fourth time they stopped, she had acquired enough to keep her preoccupied until they would reach the human settlement.

When they stopped for the evening, she went to build a fire and rummage through the supplies for some food to cook up. Meanwhile, Ganon began setting up the small shelter in the carriage. Still never exchanging a single word, they ate, and readied themselves for sleep. With just enough space to fit two beds, Zelda and Ganon had pushed all of the supplies to the middle. On each side of the pile, they set their bedding up. After Zelda heard Ganon lay down, she did as well. However, she didn't feel ready to sleep.

"Ganon, I have some questions you need to answer."

No response.

"Ganon," Zelda said more sternly, sitting up. She stared angrily at the pile that lay between them. It was just ever her eye level. "Answer me, I know you're awake," she added with a hint of annoyance.

She heard him move and took this as a cue to go ahead and ask.

"You tried to kill me and now you're working with me."

"That's not much of a question," Ganon said in a low voice. He sounded just as annoyed as her.

"Answer it like it is one," she demanded.

"If the goblins could kill you, I did not wish to find Link with you. If you died, then hopefully the next Zelda would be a bit brighter and stronger."

"The real reason," she demanded.

"That is the reason. If you were weak, I didn't want to work with you," he reinforced his statement. "I was also buying time. One of my attempts to possibly right this shamble of a cycle was to keep the three pieces within close enough proximity that they would go back to the way they were before this. I thought it might do that with the two of us being close. Clearly it didn't work," he paused, "Why didn't you ask these questions when I first told you that you would be joining me?"

Zelda glared at the pile, "I didn't think about it," she stated honestly. What he asked made sense, she thought. It was indeed odd how she didn't think to ask.

There was a long pause before she heard a sigh. "That spell I used wasn't meant to be fatal. And it's a good thing we didn't fight. You can _not_ wield a sword, Zelda. I don't know how you were expecting to defend yourself with that. Why are you travelling with someone you thought had intention to kill you," he asked her, sounding surprised.

"Because if you had wanted to kill me, you would've already done it," she admitted quietly. Zelda didn't really know the answer herself. At this point, she guessed it was the triforce influencing it because she hadn't felt threatened by him since she woke up in the dungeon of the castle. Yes, she was scared of him at first, but she didn't feel he could kill her.

"Ah. You possess some logic," he replied, sounding tired.

"About the necklace now, Ganon." Zelda was growing impatient with his lack of sincerity.

"What about it? It's necessary."

"You've been unclear about that. But-," she was interrupted.

"You mean how the goblins knew to come, I assume. The odd smell of the necklace is not what drew them to you. Once the necklace made contact with you, it was enchanted to send out a signal to them. They were camping by your village, waiting for some reaction. If they didn't get one, then they would've stolen in from the next merchant and gone to try another settlement."

"Five years," she questioned further, switching the subject.

"Yes, I have spent five years looking for you."

"That means you've been looking for Link within that time too," she concluded aloud.

"Yes," Ganon hesitated. "Unfortunately, it is not what I had hoped for."

Zelda crawled closer to the pile and she sat on her calves, giving her the perfect height to look over the pile. Folding her arms on top of it, she looked down at him. Ganon was lying on his back, staring thoughtfully at the ceiling until their eyes met.

"Link was a terrifying wielder of courage. I am afraid of what is to come with him holding power," he said before Zelda could ask.

"It seems like your powers came through birth and not the triforce though," she pointed out. Remembering the story of an ocarina that allowed Link to travel through time, Zelda thought of the part about one of the last battles; in that time, Ganon had used balls of dark energy resembling balls of lightning in his attacks.

"While that is true, the power given by the triforce is enhancing your natural strength. It makes you angry and strong. Most of all, it makes you hunger for more power, no matter the cost. Ultimately, the goal of the power piece is to gather the other pieces so that it may request infinite power from the completed triforce. I have never experienced what it's like to have that desire met. I could not tell you more than that."

"You said you didn't want Link and I to destroy you again. If you aren't evil and don't hold the piece of power, then why would we," Zelda asked after thinking over his previous response.

"It seems that having the triforce piece of wisdom allows you to remember the past cycles," he explained slowly. "I made the assumption that you were ready to kill me without thinking through what I was doing. I also remember the cycles as previous Ganondorfs had seen and I still carry his desire for revenge. Luckily, I regained my composure and reasoning before charging the spell any more. It was a moment of weakness, I suppose"

Nodding, Zelda showed she had heard him and understood. Lying back down, she decided she was finished asking questions tonight.

When dawn woke them, they made food, took care of the horses and headed on their way again. Zelda's mind had been dwelling on the conversation from the evening before. As she sat beside him, mindlessly carving, she thought about him taking five years to find them. There were also the vague answers about the necklace. He explained why they were after her, but he didn't explain why it's significant. His threat about him destroying her and Link also lingered around her mind.

When he first made the threat, yes, she was scared. But, she knew he wouldn't carry through with it, somehow. Zelda stopped carving the wood for a moment. That, she realized, is the triforce's influence on her. Wisdom and courage are allied pieces of the triforce. It's power that wants to dominate and rule. The relationship between wisdom and courage has always been friendly and used one another as resources when stopping power from prevailing.

This was not something she liked. Being aware of the influence, she hoped, would help to clear her judgment. If she's dealing with influence like this, then Ganon's must be reacting the same way.

Just as she opened her mouth to ask, he spoke, "Past this meadow and over that hill with the trail back there is the human settlement."

"Speaking of humans, why do you have goblins and humans living in that castle," Zelda asked.

He looked at her, annoyed, "You ask too many questions." Looking back to the road in front of him, he began to speak, "Goblins make good servants for me. They're afraid of me and do as I tell them without question or complaint. The two humans you met are the only two I had come across that did not shun me thinking I was doomed to a horrible fate."

"When the Gerudo realized that the triforce piece of power was not prominent on my hand, they were quick to have me leave the desert. Fortunately an old poe took pity on me and saved from possible death there. When the poe deemed me safe enough outside of the desert boundaries, it left me. I met the two of them at about the fourth or fifth village I stayed in.

"They're Hylians and the ones living near the desert were especially cruel to visitors out of mistrust. Hylians tend to keep to themselves usually, but on the outskirts of the desert it's more evident. They didn't have the courage to dispose of me and they didn't want to help me," he explained. There was no hint of emotion in his voice. "Amelia and Oroth have been very kind to me," he added.

"They look very young," Zelda commented. When Amelia approached the barred wall in the dungeon, she didn't look like she could be older than twelve. Oroth, the one who woke her, seemed older. He seemed as if he was old enough to have a household of his own.

"Amelia, yes. She is young. I met her when she was six. Oroth was about twenty when I met him. They are not related, but they like to call themselves brother and sister. They call me the same," Ganon continued.

His story didn't change the way Zelda viewed him. It was sad, and made her feel bad for him, but at the same time it could've been worse. He found a place to belong and that's all that matters. She decided she wouldn't judge him for not approaching her in a friendly way. Chances are if he had just walked up to her, told her she is Zelda and asked her to go with him, she would have. Yet, she wondered why he hadn't.

"All this happened and yet you still only started searching five years ago," Zelda pointed out. The annoyed expression Ganon held told her that she had said it in such a way that rubbed him the wrong way.

"I didn't start searching until the triforce decided to start reacting. They all react at the same time."

Zelda looked down at her hand. Of all three pieces, she felt hers was the most useless. She has courage but she still got scared from time to time. "What's so special about courage," she asked.

"Does it matter," he replied quickly. "Either way, we need all three together. You hold one and it will come to show its use to you when the time comes," Ganon explained.

Deciding to let the conversation go, Zelda began taking in the landscape. The forest looked far away now. The evening before, they had camped on the outskirts. It was her first time leaving it. She knew it was there because of a map she bought from a man claiming to be a fairy, but she had never seen it. The trail they traveled on was dirt and didn't have a blade of grass. Along it grew grass that could easily reach her knees.

It seemed peaceful, but she felt somewhat vulnerable. With nothing but clear view of what lay ahead and behind, it made her nervous. Looking at it all, it seemed sad. Her instinct told her to enjoy because it may be the last time she gets to see something this breathtaking.

Finally, the forest and meadow disappeared behind the hill. At the bottom stood a city with tall walls protecting it. The trail ended where a vast wooden door began. It towered over her and Ganon. The dark wood it was made of made it look ominous until she got to take a closer look. It was weathered, and contained multiple dents and scratches.

Beside the door stood a Hylian on each side. They were both garbed in shining metal armor. The metal was shining silver adorned with golden crests and markings along the edges of the chest piece, helmet, boots, and belt. The helmets were slightly large for the young boys.

One had brown eyes with a dark brown, almost black, hair. Like Ganon, his skin was darker. He was the taller of the two, and clearly a few years older than the other. He had long legs, a shorter torso and a round face. The other boy was thin and lanky, looking timid under the armor. His eyes were blue, like Zelda's, but his hair was a light brown with dark skin.

"What brings you to the city," the taller one spoke. He sounded confident and his voice carried well although it was slightly higher pitch than she expected

"The market," Ganon replied with a smile. Clearly, he didn't smile much; it didn't reach his eyes and it looked anything but warm.

The smile made the boy nervous, it seemed. He glanced between Zelda and Ganon, as if expecting them to say something else. "Right away, sir," he said meekly. The two guards looked up to the top of the wall. Another person was leaning over it. When the two guards flashed a thumbs up, the person on the wall disappeared.

A few moments later, the doors slowly opened to reveal the town. It wasn't as Zelda had imagined. It was better. The trail faded into worn stone bricks. The buildings were close together, only slightly taller than the walls. People were everywhere walking and talking about their business, paying no mind to Ganon and Zelda.

Each building had a small alleyway between where some children were or there were small animals such as cats and dogs. The trail Ganon and Zelda followed went straight to the center of the town where they could make out a large fountain. "I don't think this is what someone would call a settlement, Ganon. This is more like a city," Zelda commented.

"It's where too many people live within too small of an area. Call it what you may, it is still a human settlement," Ganon responded. "How do you know what a city is? You live in the woods," he asked, looking at her.

Zelda looking at him as if he had grown a second head, "I may live in the woods but I'm not sheltered."

When merchants would visit the village Zelda lived in, she would talk with them and listen to their stories. Because she didn't have much of anything else to do, she harassed them for more stories while they and tried to sell their goods. Sometimes, she felt it was her fault they would leave within days instead of weeks.

Ganon looked at her for a moment before shaking his head and looking forward again. Zelda looked back toward the fountain ahead of them. As it grew closer, it became more evident that it was the location of the market. "We're actually going to the market," Zelda asked.

"Yes," Ganon responded simply. "That is where the most people are. Whether or not he is there, I have no idea. However, if we're going to find him, it's a good place to start asking people," he explained.

"Do you think his name is Link, or would he call himself something else," she wondered aloud.

Ganon appeared to be thinking as they reached a point where they could stop and tie the horses up. "He has always been strange. Usually he has odd origins. It should be the same this time, I assume. He should stand out from the crowds," he reasoned. He seemed to be thinking out loud rather than responding to her.

After the carriage was secured and the horses were taken care of, they began to approach stalls to ask the vendors and customers questions. Zelda started on one side, as Ganon started on the other. Zelda had no problem approaching people and asking questions about their goods and customers, but as soon as they noticed her pointed ears their attitude would change. She decided to ignore this reaction for the most part, as they hadn't become too unpleasant to deal with.

"Miss, miss! I think this bracelet would suit you," a female merchant yelled to Zelda as she was walking toward a different stall.

Zelda turned to face the merchant. Cautiously, she began to approach after making sure she was the one the merchant was talking to. Other stalls were packed with potential customers while this one remained empty. The merchant looked kind, and old. Her hair was turned silver starting at the roots, taking over what was once a full head of brown hair based on the ends. Her eyes were a shining hazel, but they appeared to be exhausted. "Come closer, come closer," the old merchant ushered Zelda forward.

"This bracelet, you see, is special," she exclaimed. Zelda gave a small, modest smile giving hint that she thought this woman spoke lies. "Don't look at me like that sweetheart," she looked playfully offended. "I mean you the truth! This piece will show you your deepest secret, dearie," she said in a hushed voice causing Zelda to lean in slightly so she could still hear the woman.

"I don't have any secrets," Zelda replied, just as quiet as the woman. This was true, Zelda thought. She did not have any secrets that would make another person view her any differently. While she is the wielder of courage, it is no secret; if she weren't wearing gauntlets over worn leather gloves, they would see the triforce on her right hand.

"Oh, dear," the old woman tilted her head a warm smile that made Zelda feel like she could trust her. "Then you are a truly good person perhaps," she said somewhat sadly, still smiling. This statement confused Zelda.

"Why would a secret determine whether or not you're a good person," Zelda asked.

The old woman laughed softly, her eyes showing the weariness that followed age.

"A secret begins with a lick of pain. Then, it blisters and boils over. As the skin heals, it creates one layer, then another… soon, it's buried deep below a scarred and calloused skin," the woman explained softly. "If you do not have one yet, you will," she said.

Zelda was preparing to ask another question when she felt herself being pulled away. Ganon held her arm tightly as he glowered at the old woman. "What are you doing," Ganon asked her in a hushed voice. His eyes didn't leave the old woman.

"Investigating," Zelda said nonchalantly. Truly, she was until this woman stopped her. Angry eyes flickered to hers briefly before switching back to the old woman.

"I wasn't going to hurt her, boy. Although, it looks like you could use this more than her," the old woman snickered and winked at Zelda.

Eyes locked, Ganon and the merchant held a staring contest.

"I want that bracelet," Zelda chimed in, innocently. Holding up a bag of rupees to demonstrate her interest, she asked, "How much do you want?"

A smug smile crawled across the old woman's face as her gazed lingered on Ganon before moving to Zelda. "Certainly, sweetheart. That'll be 75 rupees," she responded.

Zelda paid her and they left the old merchant. "Give me that bracelet," Ganon stopped her when they were a considerable distance away. One of his hands was on her forearm while the other was opened and extended toward her; Ganon was waiting to receive the bracelet. She stared at him defiantly.

"You don't know what that is," He said, this time sounding more concerned than angry. "I do not wish to later find out it leads us to our death," he continued.

"Why are you paranoid about such a thing? Nobody knows who we are. Our cloaks completely hide our clothes, and as far as they're concerned we're nothing but a darker Hylian and a wood elf traveling together," Zelda reasoned with him.

"People hate your kind," he said fiercely in a hushed voice, getting closer.

Dumbfounded, Zelda yanked her arm out of his grip, "I never did anything to them, why would they hurt me?"

"Hylians still blame the wood elves for everything in their destructive history."


	3. Chapter 3

Lips tight, Zelda contemplated what would cause such an obscure belief. Then, she realized exactly why. A rush of sadness rushed over her as she recalled the old stories. Looking away from Ganon's cold eyes, she looked at the ground. "I didn't realize," she trailed off quietly.

Ganon lightened the grip he had on her arm. "You insisted on not being sheltered, so I thought you knew," he said quietly as he released her.

Jerking her arm away from him, she started walking toward the carriage. "Zelda, that bracelet," he said as he walked beside her, "You should get rid of it." She ignored him and put it in the pocket with her necklace. She was about to get into the carriage when Ganon spoke again.

"We won't be sleeping in the carriage when we're in a town. They have an inn we can sleep in."

"Where did you get all this money from? You have no ties to any wealth," Zelda asked, her voice icy. He had made it sound as if the Gerudo had disowned him, thus, she thought, there would be no reason they would still be supporting him.

"I do have ties and I am using them. Now let's go inside and talk about what I've found out from the marketplace."

The sun was beginning to set when Zelda and Ganon had left the old woman who sold the bracelet. Shops were closing and merchants were packing their goods. Like Zelda and Ganon, they were headed for the inn. Some were happy while others looked disappointed with their earnings. Looking back toward the old woman, Zelda noticed the stall had vanished completely. "Ganon, the stall is gone," she said, surprised.

Ganon also looked toward where the old woman once was. "Zelda, please do not make me beg you to get rid of that bracelet. Everything about that woman called for suspicion," he said sternly.

She ignored Ganon's plea. Turning back toward the inn, she began to remember the fable that told of how the elves of Hyrule nearly became extinct. When Hyrule was a unified kingdom, the royal family and nobility were made up of elves. The royal family was seen as being majestic and invincible. The last cycle of evil, however, citizens of Hyrule decided that they were fed up with being ruled by a royal family that promised destruction.

A rebellion sparked in the Hylians. They persuaded the Zora to side with them and then proceeded to drown any elves they found; the turn of events quickly turned into a genocide of the elves. They tried to fight against the Zora and humans, but they did not have the defenses for it. The vast number of humans and Zora quickly overtook the elves. It took many years of exterminating elves on sight for the elves to realize the error in their ways. Elves sent their treaty to the humans, promising to abolish the royal family. This action appeased the higher ranked humans, but the lower class cultivated a grudge. By that time, the elves were left with a small population just over 3,000; at one point in history they had exceeded millions. The losses devastated the elves deep into seclusion.

From then on, the elves dwelled in the densely wooded area, where they could live peacefully in solitude. Over the years, their numbers continued to decrease due to natural circumstances; once, they were a pampered race, and now they live in clay homes just scraping by. They use no currency and rely on cooperation with each other for their survival. Merchants would travel to the villages in search for more items to trade rather than currency.

Suddenly, she didn't feel as bad about harassing them for stories; Zelda was probably one of the nicest elves the merchants talked to. The merchants that came to the village never seemed to be mistreated, but she did recall how badly others spoke about them from time to time. When they exchanged goods, the elves would leave with no other interaction.

Entering the inn, Zelda looked at the merchants lingering in the lounge area. One side of the lobby was filled with sofas and loveseats pushed into circles. Two fireplaces were on either side of the lobby, giving a warm glow to the patrons of the inn. She watched Ganon as he went around her to approach the desk attendant ahead of them. Scanning the merchants once more, she was hoping she would find the old lady.

"We're the fourth room on the left upstairs," he explained, looked down at the key in his hand. "We'll be here for a few days, so I suggest that you become accustomed with this inn." Turning away from her, he headed toward the stairs down a hall to the left of the desk. Zelda followed quickly behind him.

When they got to the room, she was pleased to see that there were two small beds. "Now, I found some information that we need to discuss. I would rather not discuss it downstairs," he said firmly as he took the cloak off, throwing it into one of the chests. At the end of each bed was a chest. Before placing his cloak in the chest at the end of the bed, he emptied his pockets onto the long table against the wall. It created a large gap between the two beds. The table held a lit oil lantern in the center and two long drawers.

Ganon glanced at the one window in the room, making sure it was closed. Shivering, Zelda had just realized how much colder the room was than the warm lobby. Sitting down on the bed, Ganon looked across the room at Zelda, who still stood by the door. "I have an idea of where we need to go from here," he said thoughtfully. "We need to stay here a few days because I'd like to see if we can gather more information about it. If we can't, then we'll leave early," he explained as he noticed her getting ready to ask a question.

"It seems that Link has already started to taint the land. Some of the merchants were complaining about monsters appearing in areas they weren't in before. One of them was telling me about a man who had recently found something he called a great treasure. They said it was the only thing he would talk about. He left the city the day after he bragged about his finding nonstop," Ganon explained as he scratched his beard.

"Why is that odd?"

"What's odd about it is the way people described him leaving. He appeared obsessive over his belongings. Within just one night he was incredibly attached to it."

"That doesn't seem so odd. Money is something that corrupts not only the mind, but the heart," Zelda pointed out.

"You're right," Ganon stated. "However, one of the merchants happened to be going in the same direction as him when they left the city. The merchant watched him closely as he wandered into the swamp off to the East. Apparently he seemed possessed because his eyes had turned entirely black," he continued.

The idea of someone's eyes being entirely black bothered Zelda. It made her shudder from the thought. "That doesn't sound pleasant. Were there any other suspicious behaviors? The merchant may have been exaggerating the tale too," she noted.

"No, I do not think so, but it gives me enough information to want to explore the swamp some," he stated. Ganon's hands migrated to his temples. Massaging them, he let out a groan out of agitation. "I was hoping that we wouldn't have to encounter difficulties until later on," his voice showed his annoyance.

"I'm not sure why you expected this to be so easy. It's never been easy, Ganon," Zelda said softly.

He didn't respond. Instead, his green eyes locked with hers for a moment, as if looking for something, "Do you remember the stories of dungeons and temples the hero always had to go through? Are you ready to take on those trials, Zelda?"

Surprised, she didn't know if she was ready for that. "I don't know how to fight," she said quickly, "I'm not sure if I'm ready, but I can at least defend myself."

"I can't do the fighting for you. Do you not know how to use any sort of weapon?" he asked incredulously.

"I can use a bow and arrow, but I can't use a sword. If I remember correctly, then the legendary sword is something that will be used to end the cycle," she said, appearing to look nervous as she glanced at the floor from time to time.

Their eye contact did not break as he put his hands on the bed. Closing his eyes, he released a sigh. "Tomorrow, we'll buy you a bow and some arrows. We'll also get you a sword so that way you can begin to get used to how it feels. Hopefully it won't come to that," he said, "Hopefully."

The conversation ended with Zelda feeling upset about what the future may hold. How had she not thought of her inability to fight? She had gotten lucky with the goblins for the most part. While she can efficiently defend herself, her offensive abilities are terrible. "You can't teach me?" she asked as she finished removing the green tunic. Under the tunic, she wore a chainmail that covered her torso, half of her forearms, and her hips, ending about mid-thigh. A white silk undershirt covered her, along with thick white pants that clung to her form to allow mobility. It was a loose outfit excluding the pants, but it was easy to move in and she felt safe in it.

"I planned to," he replied simply as he turned away from her in bed. "Can you put the lantern out before you go to sleep?"

Zelda responded by turning the lantern off after she had removed her chainmail, and got into her bed. She fell asleep quickly.

"Zelda, wake up. It's time to go to the swamp."

Reluctantly, she opened her eyes, glaring up at him. "Don't look at me like that," he stated coldly. Pulling the blanket over her head, she closed her eyes. "I will meet you downstairs for breakfast," she heard followed by the sound of the door closing.

Getting up, Zelda washed her face and put her tunic and cloak on before heading downstairs. She saw him sitting at a table by one of the fireplaces. There was an appealing display of food waiting for her. Together, they ate and headed out into a different area of the market. It branched off into an alley where household decorations, toys, and weapons were being sold in shops instead of stalls. They went into a weapon shop to look for a sword and bow for her.

After Ganon felt satisfied with her being armed, they headed to the East gate of the city. The guards let them out of the city after being told the time they expect to return. Upon leaving, Zelda stayed close to Ganon. She remained a short distance behind him as they walked.

"How far away is it?"

"Just a little bit farther," Ganon said as he looked around briefly.

In the distance toward the North, Zelda saw trees. "Is it that way?" she asked. He nodded, looking in the same direction as her. "They look really far away," Zelda commented.

"They're not that far. I would like to use the trail, though. There it is," he pointed at it.

When they reached the dirt path headed toward the swamp, Ganon stopped to look at her. "Are you sure you're ready to do this?" he asked with a hint of anger in his voice.

Zelda hadn't realized how small she was compared to him. Next to him she was at least a head shorter than him; with her back straight and the knee-high worn leather boots giving her a small boost, the top of her head was even with his shoulders. In this moment, she felt much smaller than she had a moment ago. Hesitantly, she nodded. His eyes lingered on her for a moment longer before following the path leading to the swamp.

It wasn't long before they reached it. The landscape had made a sudden shift from peaceful meadow to a marshland with darkness that even the sun couldn't cure. As they traveled further down the path, a dense wood consumed the land with tangled roots that seemed as if they were moving when there were no eyes on them. The tall, thick trees grew wide leaves, creating a blanket that kept the sun out.

The level of discomfort Zelda was experiencing made her ready her bow. Ganon glanced at her and smirked, "Getting scared?"

Shooting him a harsh look, she looked over her shoulder. Fog was beginning to roll in, making it hard to see beyond each other. Suddenly, Ganon stopped walking. He lifted an arm out to his side, still facing forward. Zelda stopped close behind it, bow drawn with an arrow ready.

A maniacal laugh echoed through the swamp. Zelda and Ganon began looking in all directions, hoping to find the source. At this point, the fog had become so thick, they could not tell where the path ended and swamp began. The ground began to shake, bringing them both to their knees. Ganon grabbed her wrist, trying to make sure they would not be separated.

When the shaking stopped, they looked at one another briefly before looking around. It was quiet, making it seem more dangerous, Zelda thought. Goosebumps decorated Zelda's skin as she anxiously tried to look for any movement in the fog.

Ganon let out a yell as something wrapped around his leg, harshly pulling him away from her. His hand that been holding her wrist briefly pulled her with him. They locked eyes just as he lost his hold on her. Tossing the bow and arrow aside, her quick reflexes granted her the ability to grab his hand before he could disappear.

"Ganon, no!" She continued to say "no" under her breath as she pulled him.

"Zelda, let go," he said after a groan. "I'll rip into two pieces before you pull me away," he explained in a pained voice, grabbing one of her hands with his free hand. It was a gentle touch; he was trying to soothe her panic.

"No!"

Pulling as hard she could, she realized her sweaty hands were beginning to slip. As best as she could, she gave one last effort to pull him away. It was useless; she watched him slip out of her grasp, horrified. That was the first time she saw a hint of fear in his eyes. Because of the force she was using to pull, the sudden release caused her to roll backwards, landing in the mud.

In a panicked frenzy, she quickly tried to get to her feet. However, the mud wouldn't let her go. The more she struggled, the more it seemed to consume her. In the distance, she heard Ganon let out a pained yell. Her heart dropped into her stomach and she felt cold. She yelled out his name, hoping for some response, but none came. Struggling even more, Zelda did her best to escape the mud. Yet, it had succeeded. Letting out one last breath, she was brought beneath the surface of the swamp.

Kicking her legs one last time, she realized that they were free. Moving them as best as she could, her entire body began to loosen up. Finally, she was freed. But, it was in the surface. She was falling. When she hit the ground, her vision went black.

When she woke up, Zelda began trying to determine where she was. As she tried to sit up, a sharp pain ran through her, lingering in the back of her head. It took her a moment to recollect how she ended up in a dark tunnel. Shifting her gaze upward, she could see a small disturbance in the ceiling. She assumed that was where she fell from. The muddy swamp had swallowed her, she thought, but beneath her lay a tunnel; Zelda felt as if she were blessed with luck.

Torches were lit along the walls on each side every so often. She could see that at the end of the tunnel she was facing held a door. The other side, as far as she could see, held nothing but darkness. There were no torches lit on the dark side apart from where she sat.

Carefully, she got to her feet and made sure she hadn't lost anything in the fall. Conveniently, the bow had fallen through the mud with her, but she had lost the majority of her arrows in the muck. It took a moment for her to begin walking as she attempted to recover from the pain. Slowly, she began to approach the double door. When she reached it, she put her hands on both doors. They were made of the same dark wood that the city used for its town gates. The wood was smooth and looked brand new. They were held in place with black, slightly rusted hinges. With no handles, she assumed she had to push the doors.

Zelda pushed with all her might to open them. It took all of the strength she could muster to make them budge. The room they revealed made her wish she had laid down for a while longer. A small patch of land after the door allowed her to take a few steps forward to survey the large, open room. Past the land was a black pond lit by torches all along the wall. In each direction was a door with a patch of land. The black pond had a lily pad in the middle with a trail of stones leading to it from each door. The walls had some spots that were mud, but for the most part it was a tan color with crimson and dark green designs going down the walls in evenly spaced out vertical lines.

Approaching one of the stones in the pond, she cautiously stepped on it, testing how it held her weight. When Zelda determined that it held her weight just fine, she began using the stones as steps to get closer to the lily pad. Kneeling down, she inspected the lily pad, waiting for something to happen. After a few moments, she felt like she had waited long enough and began testing to see if it would hold her weight as well. Surprisingly, he held her as firmly as one of the stones did.

Quickly leaping off of the lily pad, she headed for the room straight across from where she had entered. Reaching the door, she hesitated before pushing it open. Remembering how Ganon was taken compelled her, however. In a sudden gush of courage, she pushed the doors open with all her might. It took a moment before all of the torches lit in the room. In the center of the room stood a statue, otherwise it was plain. With no other doors or items to inspect, Zelda focused on the statue.

Approaching it, she examined the plaque that was bolted into the base.  
><em>Presented is Zelda, the princess of Hyrule during the time of the Twilight invasion<em>.

Taking a step back, Zelda looked the statue over carefully. It was missing its left arm while the right one was holding up a majestic looking sword. Aside from the broken arm, the statue was aged, cracked in some places, and it had moss beginning to grow on one side of it.

A rumble caused Zelda to look toward the doors. It stopped shortly after, but she felt as though it had triggered something. Looking back toward the statue, she stepped back as it stepped off of the pedestal toward her.

The statue stood tall, several feet larger than Zelda, poised and ready to strike with the sword. "What brings you here," the statue asked in a low voice that seemed to echo in the dark, mud-covered walls.

"My friend was taken," Zelda said quickly. The statue looked at her with eyes glowing red, expecting more of a response.

"Then they shall stay," it said slowly, smirking with its sword held high over its head.

The statue's slowness gave Zelda the chance to dodge. Getting her bow and arrow ready, she tried to shoot at the statue's glowing eyes. When Zelda's arrow missed, she cursed under her breath. The statue let out a deep laugh causing the ground to shake slightly. She looked up to the evil eyes as it prepared to swing sideways. With the sword headed her way, she attempted to duck.

As Zelda threw herself onto the ground, the statue ended the sideways swing and prepared to swing the sword down to split Zelda in two. Being in no position to fire another arrow, she tried to dodge again by rolling to the side. When the sword collided with the patch of ground Zelda was laying on seconds ago, she got to her feet. Immediately, she fired another arrow, this time hitting the left eye. During the statue's recoil, she fire at the other eye.

The tactic had worked as the statue let out a cry before crumbling to dust. The pedestal on which it stood laid a piece of parchment.


	4. Chapter 4

Zelda delicately handled the piece of paper as she unfolded it. It was blank. Her brow furrowed as she turned the paper over and over again, searching for any hint of writing. Giving up, she sat on the statue's pedestal, staring at it. Her eyes darted back and forth along the paper, searching for anything that could point her where to go from here.

To her dismay, nothing happened. Feeling disheartened, she put the piece of paper in her pocket and left the room. Back in the room with the black pond, she contemplated which way to go next. She decided to go to the door on her left.

The next room held another door straight across. It was a large, round room, similar to the one with the statue. There were spots with mud and the same decorated tan walls. Taking a few steps in, she inspected the dome-like ceiling and floor. The statue room had made her feel as though she should expect something from what seemed like nothing.

A small "click" echoed in the room. Zelda looked up to the ceiling. In the center, a hole opened. Slowly, an object was being lowered through the hole. The rope holding it grew longer as it approached the floor. When the object stopped at about half of the room's height, she stared dumbfounded at it.

It was a fish. What would a fish be doing dangling by a rope in a room with nothing but mud as a floor? The sound of a growl answered her question. Looking around, she couldn't find the source of the noise. Readying an arrow, she prepared to be attacked. In the center of the room, a bubble began to grow. A few more bubbles joined it, but never quite grew as large as the first one. The bubbling continued for a few moments before the ground began to shake, popping the massive bubble.

A long, narrow snout shot from the ground. Sharp teeth decorated the edges as it opened its mouth in preparation to strike. Following the snout was a triangular head, scaly and covered in mud. Zelda had reached an arm up in an attempt to shield her eyes from the splatter of mud as the creature sprang from the ground; the creature broke through the mud as if it were water.

The creature soon disappeared after grabbing the fish, leaving no sign that it had come from the ground. Heart hammering, Zelda backed up toward the door. Staying along the walls, she decided that she would try to make it for the door across the hall. Running as fast as her legs would carry her, she made it to the door without encountering the enormous reptilian beast.

Opening the doors, and closing them behind her, she was pleased to see that the next room had a floor with a carpet. The presence of the floor made her feel safe from the creature in the previous room. However, there seemed to be nothing in this room either. Slowly, she began to step toward the center of the room.

Across from her was a step. It was carpeted like the rest of them except for a large square. Approaching it, she stared down at the square. Looking around the room once more, she hoped she would find some sort of hint as to what she would need to do with it. Deepening her frown, she took out the piece of parchment she had found in the other room. Looking between the square and the paper, Zelda placed the piece of paper in the center of the square. To her amazement, writing began to appear on it.

A pain ran through her starting at her back. Yelling out in surprise, she fell onto her knees. Looking over her shoulder, she stared, horrified, at the two stalfos chuckling. One of the stalfo's swords had cut the tunic, but the chainmail had saved her from receiving a fatal wound.

Zelda turned toward them in a position where she was kneeling. With one foot flat on the ground and her other knee on the ground; she used her foot to keep her balance as she prepared to fire an arrow. The stalfos stared at her, waiting for her to shoot. When she did, they dodged with ease. One on each side of her, Zelda didn't know which one to focus on. They both had swords and shields ready to defend and strike as they danced from one foot to the other.

On her feet, she threw her bow aside and drew her sword. Aged, yellowing teeth seemed to smirk at her stance. Tightening her grip on the sword, she leapt forward to strike the stalfo on her right. It connected, but the blow landed on the shield. The stalfos shoved its shield in retaliation at her, causing her to stumble back a few steps. As she was recovering from the stumble, the stalfos both charged; one charged for her torso, the other charged aiming for her legs from her left. Zelda managed to dodge only the front as the other collided with her leg.

As they were regaining composure, she aimed her blade at the one that had thrown her back using its shield. She jabbed her sword into the stalfo's weak point: its neck. She had successfully decapitating it when she slashed her sword to the right. The one that injured her leg took its sword back and jumped backwards, away from her as the other stalfo fell apart. The dead stalfo burned in green flames, leaving no remains.

When the stalfo removed its blade from her now wounded leg, she felt the pain. Wincing, she did her best not to take her eyes off of the stalfo. Adrenaline pumping through her veins gave her the short-term relief of the pain. Regaining her stance, she barely noticed the wound.

The two stared for what felt like an hour. When the stalfo charged, Zelda took a step forward, raising her sword in an attempt to block it. The blades collided; the stalfo's sharp edge connected with the flat side of her blade. With her other hand, she pressed her blade, trying to push the stalfo away from her. She had never felt as if she were weak until facing the stalfos. They were much stronger than her, and she was having a hard time compensating for her lack of strength.

Under the force, her injured leg collapsed. The sudden change caused the stalfo's blade to scrape down the flat side of her sword, and it lost its footing briefly. As its body leaned toward her right, she recoiled and brought her blade up to its neck and swinging to her right. The stalfo was decapitated.

As its remain burned in the green flame, disappearing, she fell back onto her bottom. Dropping her sword, she let out a soft moan in pain. Getting caught up in battle allowed her to ignore the wound momentarily, but the adrenaline had worn off and she was feeling the consequences. With both hands, she pressed on the wound. It was as wide as the palm of her hand, bleeding profusely. Zelda glanced around the room, trying to find something she could use to try and slow the bleeding. She felt alone for the first time since she had met Ganon.

Shifting her weight backwards, she extended her right leg in front of her, lifting her left knee so that the wound was as high as she could get it. She removed her tunic, chainmail and undershirt. This left her in a black cloth covering her where she needed it. Blood-covered hands fumbled with the undershirt briefly before tearing it.

Three strips were torn from the shirt. The first one was used like a towel, to cover the wound, the second one open was wrapped above the wound, and the third was wrapped below the wound. It would have to do until she could seek help for it, she thought. With the aid of the wall, Zelda got to her feet and walked over to the paper.

_Can you see me?_

_I can see you._

Looking around, Zelda tried to find some type of opening that someone could possibly look through. Picking up the piece of paper, she was relieved to find that the lettering remained. Not knowing of anything more she could do in this room, she collected her bow and left. In the room with the creature, she skimmed the walls again and did not encounter it as she made her way back to the pond.

Sitting down, Zelda looked at her hands. They were becoming pale. Closing her eyes, she lifted her head toward the ceiling, "Please," she whispered, "Not until I make it out of here."

Taking a deep breath, she looked down at the paper again. The words didn't change. After a few minutes, she picked herself up and headed to the last room. Unlike the other rooms, this one made her feel scared. Her heart was racing as she opened the door.

Inside was a room like the other with the stalfos. The only difference was that it was smaller. Zelda walked across the room as best she could, placing the paper in the square. Glancing around, and turning constantly, she made sure nothing surprised her this time. When she was sure nothing would attack, she looked down at the paper, picking it up slowly.

_Can you see me?_

_I can see you._

_**I'M COMING TO GET YOU**_

Surprised, she dropped the paper, backing away from it. Her heart was racing again as she took a few more steps back. This, she realized, was a mistake as it put her in the center of the room. Like a hungry beast, the floor opened to feed her to darkness. Zelda closed her eyes tightly, bracing herself for impact. Instead of a cold, hard floor, she fell into water. While the initial impact did sting, she was able to quickly recover and swim to the surface. Gasping for breath, Zelda swam in circles, trying to make out where she had fallen.

Like the room with the lily pad, the water she fell into was black; she couldn't see her hands unless they were out of the water. Scattered around the room were giant lily pads. Swimming over to one, she made sure it would hold her before crawling onto it. Dazed, she looked at the ceiling where she watched the trap door close. The only sources of light in the room were four oil lanterns attached to the ceiling with rope.

_Splash_

Zelda sat up suddenly, causing a rush of dizziness. When her vision cleared up, she looked around as quickly as she could. She stopped when she felt something drop onto her face. Wiping it off, she examined it; it was mud. Looking up, Zelda jumped out of fright.

Above her was a black creature. It had eight legs and a body that resembled a spider, but it was black. In the light, it shined the same way the water did. The creature had four "eyes," each equally large and shiny. It began to move along the wall slowly. With each step, it sounded as if it were splashing in the water.

"So you are Zelda," a whispering voice echoed in the room. It was low and made Zelda feel uneasy.

"Yes, I remember you, Zelda. Of all the pieces of the triforce, courage is the only one that doesn't regain its memories the moment its awakened. How sad, don't you think?" he hissed in her ear. The voice sounded as if it was coming from behind her, no matter which way she turned. "I remember being the hero," he said angrily. She cringed. The spider was moving erratically all over the ceiling, spinning a web of toxic-looking green strings.

"Link?" she asked in a voice that sounded more timid than she would have liked.

"Oh yes. Did Ganon tell you all about me? Did he tell you that I now possess power?" he asked, growing louder. "I remember all of those lifetimes I had to spend saving you and Hyrule. But now, I can spare _you_ the trouble of looking. If you and Ganon would give me you pieces, I could finally request the power from the goddesses. That's all. I'll be on my way after," he laughed.

Looking back up to the spider, she saw the web. It was finishing the center before it returned Zelda's gaze. "Zelda," Link's suddenly clear voice echoed from behind her. Turning, she saw him standing on a lily pad.

Link wore a set of armor that shined brilliantly despite the flickering light. It was a dark brown, decorated with silver designs. It made his slim frame seem larger than it was. His hair was long, pulled back into a ponytail, and a hue of blond that shimmered beautifully in the light of the lanterns. In the stories, he had blue eyes, like her, however his eyes were a dark red.

A sense of dread and sadness flooded over her as she looked at him. In that moment, she remembered the hero that aided her many times before. Tears welled in her eyes and flowed with seemingly no end. Cupping a hand over her mouth, she let out a sob. The past lives slowly flooded through her mind. They weren't full memories, but they were just enough to show how the two of them had bonded after Link would rescue her. In those lives, they became inseparable friends that meant the world to one another. In some cases, they were lovers.

Both hands over her mouth, and closing her eyes, she turned away from him, feeling ill. He chuckled, "That's right. The one he held most dear during his previous lives in the only trigger for the hero's memory: the princess Zelda. Even though the triforce has chosen different owners, it's all the same." A thump came from across the room as he stopped speaking.

Through tear-filled eyes, Zelda opened them to see a dark shape on a lily pad on the far end of the room. "All three of us are together now," his cold voice paused, walking toward Zelda, "How about we try and complete the triforce?" Kneeling down, he grabbed her right forearm and brought her to her feet. "Let's get this done and over with," he said quietly.

Dragging her with him, they leaped across lily pads until they were only one away from Ganon. He paused, as a smug smirk crawled over his face. He was getting ready to speak when Zelda jerked her arm out of his grip and shoved him into the water with her shoulder. Rather than becoming submersed in black water, he disappeared, leaving no trace that he was ever there to begin with. Running over to Ganon, Zelda gently pushed him onto his back.

"Ganon," she whispered fiercely.

He stirred, but he did not open his eyes. Link's laughter echoed in the large room again. "It's not that easy," he whispered in her ear. The spider let out a fowl cry as it dived into the water, creating a large wave. Zelda gave Ganon one last shake, before jumping off to another lily pad. If the spider was coming after her, then she would try to make sure it wouldn't get Ganon, she thought.

Being unable to carry or move him, she left him there. To her relief, the spider didn't seem interested in Ganon. The only hint Zelda had of its movements were the shining red orbs glinting now and then as it moved below the surface of the water. When she no longer had a lily pad to jump onto, she turned with her bow and arrow handy.

Slowly, a string of water rose with a red orb at the very tip. It curled to look down at her, like a snake getting ready to bite at its prey.

Just as it lashed out, she shot her arrow, hitting the orb. Another cry echoed out as the now damaged orb lay a few lily pads over with the arrow going straight through its core. Around her, three more strings rose from the water. All three attacked where she stood at the same time. Diving to an open area, she became submerged in the black water.

Shortly after returning to the surface, she pulled herself onto a lily pad. She felt a growing tightness around her left leg before she was forcefully pulled back into the water. Grabbing one of her arrows, Zelda aimlessly stabbed into the black water around her leg. A distorted cry was heard in the water before she was released. Reaching the lily pad, she pulled herself up, coughing up the black water that clouded her lungs.

Looking over to Ganon, she saw the spider trying to turn him into a cocoon. Zelda shouted at the spider, trying to grab its attention but it didn't even glance at her. Readying her bow, she went to draw an arrow when her stomach did a nervous flip; she was out of arrows. Putting her arm, shoulder, and head through the bow, she drew her sword with her left hand. Running along the lily pads, Zelda made it to the spider just as it was getting ready to bring Ganon to its web.

When it noticed her, it raised its body, lifting its legs high into the air. She stopped a short distance away from it with wide eyes. She took a step back, intimidated by the immense creature. Wielding the sword with both hands, she prepared to deliver the final blow. The stress she was putting on her injured leg was beginning to take its toll; her leg was beginning to shake profusely. It would be the last move she would be able to make with full mobility.

Instead of charging at her as she had hoped, it disintegrated into the water, becoming on with the black pool. Looking over the lily pad, she saw the orbs. They didn't seem to be moving, but they weren't close enough for her to strike them. Suddenly, the spider's legs came out from the water and wrapped themselves around Zelda like a cage. Swinging the sword, the water acted as if it wasn't fazed by it. The blade went through the legs, but they remained in one piece. When she tried to escape them, they were hard and she was unable to pass through or around them. They were effectively keeping her in place. Slowly, they pushed her down, forcing her onto her stomach on the lily pad, her arms were stretched out on front of her. Yelling in pain, she felt as if she was going to be crushed against the lily pad. In one last attempt to defeat it, she thrust the sword through the lily pad as best she could.

Her luck had saved her again; it was exactly where the orbs were. She had killed one, but the other was injured in the process. While it was stunned, she swung at the last orb before being swallowed by the murky water. As the pressure disappeared, she opened her eyes underwater. Remarkably, the water became clear, all the way to the bottom.

Grabbing onto the shredded lily pad, she coughed out the remaining black water caught in her throat. Zelda released the lily pad and pulled herself onto the same one as Ganon. Carefully, she cut him free from the now sickly brown web that bound him from his feet to his waist. Letting out a breath of relief, she rolled onto her back beside him, fighting a sleep that threatened to take over.


	5. Chapter 5

"Zelda," Ganon's voice pierced her foggy mind, "Wake up."

Shaking her head, she slowly opened her eyes to see her reflection in Ganon's eyes. Closing them again, she shuddered and turned her head. With her ear resting on the lily pad she listened to the faint sound of the water lapping against it. He cursed at her.

"Ganon," she said quietly, in a broken voice she barely recognized as her own, "I'm not sure if I can walk." She felt movements on the lily pad. Zelda welcomed the darkness as she fell back asleep before feeling the pain again.

A shiver ran across her spine as she woke again. Outside, the bitter cold wind made her shudder. Despite the cold, she felt warm in front. The warmth of clothing made its way over her body. It took her a moment to begin collecting her thoughts.

"Ganon?"

"Yes?" he answered curtly.

"What happened when you were with Link?" she asked, her voice cracking as she said his name. Taking a deep, shaky breath, she tried to compose her emotions. When she had first seen Link, the familiarity and the time they had spent together suddenly flowed through her mind. "Why do I only remember him?" she asked quietly.

"That's how it works for courage. Link would only remember what was needed to compel him during his journey. His deep feelings for his best friend were needed to fuel his fire most of the time. In the swamp, he said the same something similar to me."

Moving her hands up, she placed them on Ganon's shoulders. He was carrying her on his back. It was an easy task for someone as large as him, she assumed. "Unfortunately, having all of the pieces in different places than what they should be, the bonds have become confused. Link will only remember what made him angry, you will remember only the times you shared with Link, and I will remember my defeats, mistakes and…" He never finished his thought. His voice trailed off, burying itself within the passing breeze as she fell asleep once more.

Link's hands cupped her cheeks, filling her face with warmth. It made her smile and made her heart feel pleasant. Slowly, she opened her eyes, peering into his. "It's over," she said with relief, tears of joy stinging at the corner of her eyes. Link nodded with a kind smile that melted her heart.

They had just defeated Ganon once more. This time, they hoped, he'd be gone for good. He was far more powerful than they had imagined this time. This time, Zelda was confident that it would be the last time they would be able to win against him. Hyrule's land, which was tainted by Ganon, gradually became pure once more and the people were happy. At least, that's what Zelda and Link thought. With her hand in his, Link was bringing her out of the castle two years after the final battle with Ganon.

Looking over her shoulder, she heard the enraged screams echo through the halls, making Zelda sick. Link looked back at her, "Don't look back," he shouted as they turned a corner. "There they are," screamed a woman frantically. They stopped, taking a few steps back. Link let go of her hand and put himself in front of her, shielding her from their view of the woman.

Angry shouts reached Zelda and Link as a massive group of people emerged from both ends of the hall. "Link, we can't run," she said, beginning to panic. The mobs yelled bitter, incoherent threats as they closed in. Turning his back to the crowd, Link embraced Zelda tightly. Wrapping her arms around him too, she closed her eyes tightly and wished with all her might that it might be a dream.

Link lowered himself briefly before jumping with all of his might into the window they were standing in front of. As they fell, the angry mob threw any items that would fit out the window after them; people hoping to throw weapons and jump after them broke several of the other windows in the hall.

Broken glass that accompanied Zelda and Link gave them multiple cuts when they hit the stream of water that surrounded the castle. Both of them broke through the surface of the water at the same time. Zelda called out to Link just as a few more people landed near them in the water. Grabbing her hand, Link swam toward the edge that dipped down the lowest.

Holding her waist, he gave her a lift so she could climb out of the stream. As fast as she could, she reached over to help him out of the water. Just as they had safely emerged from the stream, panting and scared, a smaller mob met them on the walkway they were on. The stream surrounded the castle, creating only one entrance to the outside; the only entrance and exit from the castle was clogged with angry Hylians, they realized.

The walkway they found themselves on was a path that the guards frequently used to survey the castle from the outside. The guards, who just hours ago were being merry and laughing, lay in pools of their own blood; throats were slit, limbs were missing and the horrified expressions on their dead faces told Zelda all she needed to know about the small mob that stood before them.

Slowly, the mob closed in on them as about a dozen people followed them from the stream. Zelda grabbed Link's arm out of desperation. One of them got close enough to pull Link away from her. Another one grabbed Zelda, pulling her in the opposite direction of Link before she could reach him. Link called out to Zelda as they pinned her down onto her stomach, trying to bind her hands and feet.

The person that pulled Link away held a dagger to his throat. Zelda felt a surge of power course through her. Using her seemingly new strength, she pushed the few people around her away. Her body glowed like the sun; the goddesses had given her their power after feeling her desperation. When she stood after pushing away those keeping her down, she straightened her back and raised her left hand high in the air. A golden bow formed in the air and she curled her fingers around the grip.

As she brought the bow down, she moved into a stance ready to pull an arrow back. Staring down the arrow, cold blue eyes landed on the person holding Link hostage. "Release him," she demanded.

"No, Zelda," Link groaned. "If you do that, it'll make it worse," he said in a gentle voice. A warm smile spread along his lips at the same time the dagger sliced his throat.

The bow and arrow dissipated as she fell to her knees, stretching her hands out to Link longingly. Zelda screamed out from the ache in her chest. "We saved you," Zelda whimpered softly, disbelievingly. Closing her eyes, she didn't struggle against the person behind her. They grabbed her hair, pulled her back, and slit her throat. Dropping her to the ground, Zelda stared at her dead beloved as she drowned in her own blood. One last warm tear fell as she embraced the angel of death, holding his cold hand.

Zelda sat up abruptly, holding her neck firmly with both hands. Slowly, her hands slid to her racing heart, making sure that it was still beating. When the shock of dying faded, she moved her hands to her face. The tightening in her chest threatened to form fresh tears in her swollen, sore eyes.

"Nightmares," Ganon said softly as he sat at the end of her bed. "They probably won't stop," he said, extending his hand with a glass of water.

Accepting the glass of water, she replied, "Did you know that Link and I—"

"Were lovers? Yes. Not during all of the lives, though. You need to remember that he is corrupted by power now, Zelda."

Finishing the glass, Zelda entertained the idea of switching Ganon with Link. It wasn't that she didn't like Ganon, but she felt as if the only bond she had with him was due to the triforce pieces. That reminded her…

"Ganon, do you feel the influence of the bond between wisdom and courage?"

The sudden question, made him cough up some of his water. He looked into his near-empty cup as if it was the most interesting item in the room as he spoke, "I do feel the bond. It clouds my judgment sometimes, and it prevents me from carrying through with any dangerous intentions. As long as I'm under the influence of wisdom, I cannot do harm to the holder of courage."

He looked at her but quickly averted his eyes away from hers. "If you weren't under the influence of wisdom, you would kill me?" she asked.

"Yes."

They locked eyes this time. Eyebrows creased, mouth slightly open, Zelda stared at him in disbelief. "I'm only being honest, _princess_. I believe you need to remember that the only memories I have of you and Link are not good. You've both killed me multiple times. I have endured that pain for what feels like longer than what it probably is. I'm compelled to help, and I'll help you defeat Link, however, once it's finished, I will _not_ be your friend, Zelda. I am not Link and I do not wish to replace him in your memories," he said the last line slowly.

"Then stop helping me," she said quietly. Her thumbs played with the rim of the glass as she stared at the bottom of it. Looking up, their eyes trapped each other again. "Why does that bother you?" he asked.

"It bothers me because…"

Zelda couldn't answer. Pursing her lips, she searched for a conclusion. When Ganon gave up on waiting for her answer, he gave her calf a pat before he got up. "You can trust me, but don't make me your friend. I suggest you learn the difference between them. On another note, we begin your sword training tomorrow. It seems you have made a full recovery after sleeping your wounds away for a few days," he said sternly.

Closing her eyes, Zelda took a deep breath to soothe her growing anger. Tossing the blankets off of her, she tried to get out of bed. As soon as she put weight on her feet, her knees collapsed, causing her to fall forward onto Ganon's bed. Knees on the floor, and arms on his bed, she looked up, surprised by her muscles refusing to comply. "Waiting a few hours should help with that," Ganon said, dawning a smirk as he looked at her from the chest at the end of his bed.

He finished putting a bag, closed with a drawstring, in the chest before he walked over to the struggling Zelda. She was trying her best to get back on her feet, but her calves and thighs refused to hold her weight. Crouching, Ganon placed an arm around her waist and lifted her up with him. Guiding her to sit on her bed, he released her. Taking a few steps back, he returned to his chest, rummaging through a few items.

"We'll be leaving this town tomorrow to find the next area Link may have tainted. I have reason to believe that it's the river we need to go to."

Zelda lifted her long undershirt slightly to see the remnants of the wound the Stalfo had given her. It was going to become a scar. With cold, soft hands, she pressed against the healing mark, trying to gauge the level of pain. It had specks of dry blood, but it looked smaller now that it was clean. When she had first received the wound, it had felt as if it would have been more relief to rid herself of the injured leg; Zelda wondered why she almost didn't notice it now.

"I used some medicine that I made, form the Gerudo's secrets," his voice broke her concentration. He was looking at her as he sat down on his bed, across from her. Perhaps it was the triforce again, but she found herself yearning to ask him if he would drop his formalities with her. The words tickled the tip of her tongue.

Ganon pulled his blanket back and slid into the bed. Zelda stared at him as he turned away from her; she wanted to ask him more questions, and ask him to not be so cold. Looking down at her feet, she decided not to speak. Wiggling her toes, she tried to stand again. She fell backwards, back onto her bed after a moment. What felt like an hour had passed before she tried to stand again. This time she was successful in remaining balanced.

Pulling her cloak over her head, she looked at the back of Ganon's head, watching his body rise and fall gently with each breath. The even breathing told her he was sound asleep. As quietly as she could, she gathered her bow and sword. Before leaving the room, she turned off the oil lantern. In the lobby, she found it had a few merchants still lounging after a day of hard work, after all, the sun had set only moments ago. Passing them, Zelda headed outside.

There, she saw the carriage. The two horses that pulled the carriage acknowledged her presence with loud snorts. With gentle hands, she gave each one a loving pat on the neck as she passed by. Wood elves naturally had good relations with horses. Without horses, they would not have an impact on society in the state their civilization was in after the rebellion. The horses that the elves bred made strong, loyal, and durable companions in any journey or task.

Zelda had left the inn with the intent to practice using the sword without Ganon. The thought of being with him made her feel sad, and slightly alone, after he explained they would be mere acquaintances during and after the journey. Being acquaintances didn't bother her, however him being against the thought of becoming friends made her feel ill. She remembered how much her and Link desired to have Ganon out of their lives; but she knows now that he would be a powerful ally against Link. Trust is something that allows the growth of a relationship, she thought. How does one trust, but not befriend someone? Zelda felt a headache coming on the more she thought about it.

Approaching the South gate, Zelda tapped the shoulder of a guard that was turned away from the main pathway; he seemed to have been staring down one of the alleyways. "Sir, I'd like to ask you a favor," she said coolly.

He turned around to face her, slightly startled. "It's late, miss. Shouldn't you be sleepin'?" he asked with the touch of an accent she couldn't recognize.

"I would like to practice using a blade. Would you help me?" she asked, folding her hands behind her back, trying to look as innocent as possible.

"Miss?" his voice quivered slightly. "I'm no good with a sword. I'm better with a spear. One of my comrades is well known for swordsmanship. I can ask for you," he offered with a half-hearted smile. It was an odd request, so she was grateful for his compliance.

"Epona!" shouted the boy. The name struck a string in Zelda's heart. Placing a hand over her heart, she stared at it quizzically.

"What do you want," came an annoyed, loud female's voice. "I told you not to bother me for the rest – Oh, hello," her voice changed over to a friendly one once she saw Zelda. Her head popped out from the castle wall. The moonlight gave her white teeth and eyes an ominous glint when she smiled down at them.

Epona disappeared from the top of the wall and shortly appeared before them using a set of stairs beside the castle gate. She had grabbed one of the torches by the entrance of the stairwell, lighting up her pale face. Epona had a splash of freckles across her cheeks, giving her heart-shaped face a sense of adventure. Brown eyes glinted mischievously, as her thin lips curled into a smirk.

Zelda and Epona were at exact eye-level, putting them in at about the same height. Epona was slim and lean with long legs, and a long neck. Putting her free hand on her hip, Epona leaned in closer to Zelda, examining her with the help of the moon and torchlight. "Ah, the ears," she said in awe. "I never seen a wood elf, but my ma told me to kill one if I ever did," she said happily.

Zelda's stomach dropped; Drawing her sword, she took a step away from the two guards. "Hold this," Epona threw her torch at the other guard and drew her own sword.

"I don't want to fight. If you leave me alone, I'll leave and you'll never see me again," Zelda panicked as she took another step back.

Epona's smirk dropped as she changed her stance with her sword, holding it firmly in her right hand. The frown deepened, as she looked Zelda up and down. "Your form is all wrong," she said quietly, tilting her head. "What you're holding is a long sword, not a broadsword; you can use one hand with it, or are you two weak to handle it with only one?"

Looking down at the sword and back to Epona, Zelda dropped her right hand from the sword, allowing her dominant left hand to take control of it. "Are you going to help me or try to kill me?" she asked.

"That's better. You'll try harder thinking I'm aiming to kill," Epona stated simply, her smirk returning. "You're holding the sword too low. Keeping the end of your hand aligned with your midsection," she pointed out.

Zelda followed the advice; carefully watching where her hand was, she raised it to the correct level and looked to Epona expectantly. The sword felt heavier than Zelda remembered. If Epona were going to try and kill her, then Epona would easily win after a few strikes because Zelda didn't have the endurance.

With no warning, Epona swung overhead at Zelda. Zelda raised her sword above her head, attempting to counter the blow aimed for her head. Epona withdrew her sword and avoided the counter attack. The tip of her blade touched Zelda's throat, drawing a small amount of blood. Epona let Zelda take a step back, holding her stance, "I want you to make yourself stand exactly the way I am right now."

Epona and Zelda practiced until dawn came. The sun began to turn the dark sky into shades of red, orange and light blue. They exchanged names formally before parting ways; Zelda returned to the inn and Epona returned to the insides of the wall. Zelda had multiple minor cuts and scratches from falling and receiving wounds from miss-steps. When she returned to the room, Ganon was finishing packing up.

Upon seeing him, she had a hard time keeping eye contact with him. He seemed to notice as well, but he didn't ask. They moved their belongings into bags and packed up their carriage for what would be a much longer ride than it was between the woods and this town, Almeia.

When Epona and Zelda had taken a break during sword fighting, Epona told Zelda the name of the town and some its history. It started as a village until goblins continuously raided. No aid had come from officials, thus nearby citizens of Hyrule, who hoped to become warriors, began migrating to the developing Almeia to try and help. The warriors hoped to become renowned heroes like the green hero from the old fables.

Slowly, the population grew and warriors requested armor and metal smiths to help keep their goods ready for battle in case the goblins returned. Almeia became safe after a generation, and they built the walls to show that they were ready to defend themselves.

The story had made Zelda curious about lore of other towns. It was much happier compared to her home village's stories. Despite the townspeoples' dislike for elves, she hoped that she could make them change their minds. Maybe, she thought, after this cycle, they would accept the wood elves again.

"Who did you get to practice with you?" Ganon asked as he began prepping the horses for the long journey.

"A girl named Epona helped me," Zelda answered curtly.

Ganon stopped taking care of the horses and stared at her, dumbfounded. "That's an odd name for a human girl," he rose an eyebrow. "Epona is usually the name that young children call their horses, cats, or dogs in hopes of being like the hero's faithful companion," he explained.

Waving her hand, Zelda vented some of her anger through her voice, "Not every person we meet knows what's going on, Ganon. The stories are so old that it's not news to hear of someone having the same names. There are probably at least a quarter of the children in this town named Zelda or Link!"

His expression didn't change as he looked at her. Sighing, he continued tending to the horses, not interested in asking further.

"Zelda," Epona's voice cut the tension as she rode up to them on her horse. The stallion she rode on had a great black coat that shined blue in the morning sun. It stood proud and tall, clearly happy to have Epona on its back. She stopped a good distance away, trying not to startle the carriage's horses by getting too close. "Are you leaving this instant?" Epona sounded desperate.

"I am," she glanced over at Ganon who carried on with his duties. "May I accompany you on this quest? I thought about it, and I'd love to take part! Please?" Epona begged intensely. Zelda smiled warmly at Epona as she remembered telling Epona of her and Ganon's quest.

Zelda looked over to Ganon just in time to catch a look that she could only describe as a fierce rage. His dark green eyes narrowed with a furrowed brow as he looked between the two young ladies. "I told you not to tell anyone," his voice was deep, brimming with anger. She continued to look at him, cold fear slowly seeping over her. It must have shown because his expression eased somewhat.

"How do you know you can trust her?" he asked.

Zelda looked at Epona, who rolled her eyes at him. "I do," Zelda said softly. Ganon's eyes didn't leave Zelda as he tightened a strap on one of the carriage horses. He nodded slowly and went to the back of the carriage.

"I hope you're ready because we're leaving in a few moments."

Zelda and Epona exchanged a look of pure delight.


	6. Chapter 6

**Ganon**

* * *

><p>Zelda and Epona seemed to hit it off immediately, to his dismay. Unlike Zelda, who seemed to require something to preoccupy herself, he was fine with silence. Ganon was overly aware of his surroundings as he felt on edge. The two ladies had been giggling, whispering, and holding conversation nonstop for the past few days. Their voices were beginning to irritate him.<p>

"Ganon, what do you think?" chimed Epona playfully. He grunted in response. He wasn't going to entertain them.

Epona, he thought, was an incredibly strange name. One particular memory he has of Epona, as a horse, is when the Ocarina of Time was an important piece to his defeat. In the end, Link was sent back to undo the mistakes him and Zelda had accidentally created, but those memories were used in the next lifetime. Epona was the stead promised to him by Ingo, a shady farm owner. Instead, she had been taken, and Ganon received the _other_ horse. When Ganon was given the other horse, he intimidated Ingo into giving the farm back to the larger man; Ingo's negligence of the horses and Malon was beginning to result in the horses detesting Ingo.

Ingo hadn't deserved his own farm, he thought. Glancing at Epona, Ganon found the resemblances tied to her throughout lifetimes. Red; a deep crimson red was her signature color throughout her lifetimes. It just so happened that this time her hair was a blood red with silver strands. In the sun, the silver strands made her hair shimmer exactly like a flowing red river.

In the past lives, she served an important position beside Link; she always helped him reach the end. Now, he wondered what her role would be. Epona was always tied to Link; Ganon didn't think it was the triforce of courage that created that connection. He wondered if Zelda was aware of the role Epona played in Link's adventures.

The way they got along, one would think that Zelda and Epona had been childhood friends. Ganon continued to contemplate the relationships as they traveled. What more could be changed in this lifetime?

"Ganon," Zelda said too sweetly. He looked at her coldly, letting her know she was being acknowledged.

"Would you calm down and at least _try_ to talk with us?" she asked as she leaned closer. Ganon leaned away from her.

"We want to hear your opinion too," Epona added with a mischievous smile. Ganon looked between the two with an expression of bewilderment. Had Zelda already forgotten that he said he would kill her if the triforce pieces were not influencing them?

"About what?" he asked after a few moments.

"Well, it's not really an opinion, but what about –"

Epona was cut off as her horse reared. Yelling in surprise, Epona franctically tried to find the source of her horse's terror as it hopped from hoof to hoof anxiously. The horses guiding the wagon stopped as well, refusing to take another step forward.

Epona, Zelda and Ganon stared ahead into the dark forest they were about to enter. Unlike the forest where Zelda and Ganon had dwelled, this one was ominous and felt heavy. Although the sun was shining, the forest ground was dark as night. The horses stopped them before they stepped into the shadow of the wood.

They had left Almeia using the East gate. Their destination was the river in the middle of the wood. However, what lay before them, the dark wood, was a remnant of the Lost Woods. Here, they expected to encounter the children of the Lost Woods, Kokiri.

Ganon climbed off of the carriage and stepped closer to the woods. The horses let out snorts and whinnies of protest as he stepped into the shadow. "Ganon," said a male's voice coming from deeper in the woods. Ganon drew his sword as a precaution.

Looking ahead, Ganon squinted, making out a figure further down the darkened trail. "This place is beyond your help," it said, taking a few steps forward. Ganon held the sword up, his frown deepening.

"The Kokiri side with me," Link said with a grin on his face. "I told them that you'd be coming. The Kokiri are ready to lead you through this never ending forest to your doom," he happily explained.

Before Ganon could answer, he felt something tighten around his ankles. Looking down, he saw the shadow below him beginning to consume him. A blast of light came from behind him, so bright that he had to cover his eyes. When he uncovered his eyes, the shadows that had entangled him had dissipated. Zelda and Epona stood beside him on either side. Glancing at the two ladies, then looking straight ahead, he smirked at the now displeased Link.

Link folded his arms and shifted his weight onto one foot. "Zelda, you're defending the man we have fought against for countless lifetimes? Doesn't that seem counterproductive?" Link asked.

In an instant, Link disappeared and reappeared behind Zelda. He whispered something only Zelda could hear. When the shock wore off, she spun on her heel to try and swing her sword at him. Link took a step back, dodging her blade with ease. His hands were behind his back, and his grin had not faded.

Ganon looked at Zelda to make sure she was OK. Physically, she was unharmed, however, whatever Link had told her had her visibly shaken. She was looking at Link with hatred and sadness. "What did you tell her?" Ganon demanded.

Link shrugged, "I told her about how nice it'd be to be by each other's side again." His smug smile made Ganon feel uneasy. With no warning, Ganon charged forward.

Link met Ganon's blow with his own sword. The two continued to try and land a blow on one another for what felt like hours. When they managed to knock each other back, both panting, they smirked at one another.

"We're matched," Ganon panted. Link smirked and shook his head, "No, we're not."

"You're right," Ganon shouted as he fired a ball of dark energy at Link. The energy collided with Link. The attack had surprised Link, but Ganon knew that his magic was not strong enough to kill a person; it was a moment Ganon wished, more than anything, that he had the piece of power.

While Link was on his back, Ganon approached and pointed his sword at Link's throat. He glared up at Ganon, "You can't kill me. You're the one that always dies, not me."

Pausing, Ganon held a blank expression. This was true, Ganon thought. However, because the roles have switched, wouldn't that mean that it's Link's turn to be vanquished. Taking a moment to look over Link, Ganon looked for physical signs of the triforce's power influence.

Focusing on his neck, Ganon saw it; the green skin was a side effect of the power triforce. It was spreading from his heart, it seemed. Ganon chuckled and looked back into Link's red eyes, "I see that it's beginning to take its toll on you. It won't be long, now. "

When power consumes its user, it turns the holder into a green puppet. It begins slowly, around the back and torso. Then, it continues to grow and with it, the need for power magnifies each day. The need for power becomes a disgusting obsession by the end. Ganon remembered the process all too well from previous lives. It was a process he did not miss and was grateful that he didn't have to endure it this time.

"You know what's coming, don't you?" Ganon asked.

Link's face darkened as he glared, "I won't stop until the pieces are mine."

"Do you even know what you're trying to do? Your only memories are of saving the world. How do you know the pain of being sealed away, defeated, and kept away from your goals?"

Link remained silent. Ganon pressed the blade, drawing blood. Link raised his chin as Ganon withdrew his blade and prepared to decapitate. As he swung his blade to deliver the final blow, Link disappeared. "I apologize, Ganon, but we'll have to continue this another time," Link laughed.

Ganon looked at Zelda and Epona with a hint of weariness. "Zelda, are you all right?" he asked, sheathing his sword. She gave no response as she looked at him, pursing her lips. The sadness in her eyes was the only answer he received. He nodded at her and looked away to look deeper in the woods. Bringing a hand to his beard, he ran his fingers through it as he thought.

As Epona and Zelda whispered amongst themselves, he thought of how they would get through the forest. If Link was lurking, that meant that he was aware of the path they would be taking. That would make it more difficult, thought Ganon.

The Kokiri were always a neutral lot; they kept to themselves unless someone damaged a being in the Lost Woods. If they found the perpetrator, they would annihilate them, usually by luring them into the woods and letting them die some slow, horrible death. To have the Kokiri side with someone, it would take an enormous effort. What did Link do to make the Kokiri side with him in the first place?

"You and Epona can't go through the forest," Zelda finally spoke. She was close behind him. He looked at her, slightly surprised. He hadn't heard her approach.

Ganon looked at her expectantly. "He told me," Zelda said, looking away.

She was lying. Well, Ganon knew there was more to it if she _wasn't_ lying. Her inability to look him in the eye, and her pursed lips told him she was struggling to hide something. Looking back to Epona, she shrugged in response, appearing concerned. "Are you positive?" he asked Zelda.

"Yes. There's a path around the forest that I saw on the map. You can take the long way around. The Kokiri are communicating with me," Zelda said softly as she placed a hand over her heart and closed her eyes. "I need to find them," she stated with a flicker of determination in her voice.

Ganon put a hand on her shoulder to try and comfort her, "We'll meet you on the other side then."

Zelda nodded, gathered some supplies and left. Ganon watched her disappear, running his fingers through his beard.

"Do you think she'll be ok?" Epona asked, tilting her head slightly as her brown eyes lingered where Zelda disappeared in the shadows of the forest.

"I'm sure she will be," he said nonchalantly. They turned away and headed for the path that went around the Lost Woods. "In the center of the woods is the Kokiri's town, supposedly. If she can get to it, then she should be fine, that is assuming that they are looking for help and not luring her into a trap," Ganon explained.

Epona was riding with him in the carriage, taking Zelda's place. Her horse was following behind them closely. She had her legs crossed, and elbow propped on her knee, hand holding her chin, looking bored. "Why didn't you stop her?" she asked.

"I couldn't stop even if I had wanted to, Epona. Why are you named Epona?" he asked suddenly, looking at her with a hint of a glare. It had been nagging him, he realized, but he never had the chance to ask.

"Because that's what my ma named me," she said defensively without looking at him.

"There's more to it than that," he sighed.

"My ma gave me the name because she gave birth to a red-haired daughter. My da believed my ma was unfaithful so he left us. She loved him so," Epona sounded sad. The memory still pained her, it seemed. "She always told me I was destined to help someone," Epona said in a dream-like voice. "When I sparred with Zelda all night, something lit in my heart and I knew that she was the one," she explained in the same hazy tone.

"That's quite the coincidence," Ganon said blankly.

"S'pose so," she added in a hint of a tune. "Why would you still want to kill Zelda now, I mean what with you both working together?" she asked.

"I want to kill her and Link because…" he stopped. His frown deepened as he thought about his reasoning. When he had first told Zelda that he would love nothing more than to do away with her, he meant it. He also meant it when he said he would kill her when they were staying at the inn. However, now that he was being asked for a reason, he found himself at a loss of words.

Regret? No, he thought, regret isn't the right word. Hate may match his feelings toward Zelda and Link, but he felt more envy than anything else. Link and Zelda had to go through trials to become the heroes, but the moment the triforce awakened in him he was doomed. There's no way to rid him of it and when then the memories kicked in, it would trigger his downward spiral. The desire to free his demon army and friends from the depths of hell becomes overpowering in each cycle.

His frown deepened as he realized his motivation to kill Zelda was envy. This was something he felt he had no desire to tell Epona about. "Go on," she urged him, growing impatient. He smiled, "No." Epona's wince caught him off guard, "Why do you make that face?" he asked, somewhat annoyed.

"You smiled," she muttered, looking away and cringing under the armor she wore.

Ganon looked at the outskirts of the Lost Woods. He tried to convince himself that he wasn't concerned for Zelda, but it wasn't working. As cold of a person as he was, he wasn't heartless. Her fear was easy to see, but her perseverance would prove to be helpful later. If Link got his way, chances are one of them will be fighting the final battle alone; it would be the same as when Zelda had to go through the temple beneath the swamp.

The guilt he had felt for Zelda's wounds made him feel angry when they found their way into his mind. The last problem he wanted was to worry about being rescued. Unfortunately, he had taken out his anger at her when she awoke. Playing the part of wisdom was changing the way he thought. It was making him more rational, and at some points, his hatred was completely drowned out by the overwhelming need to keep Hyrule safe.

Slowing down the horses, he scanning the forest edge more intently. Going around the forest was a long, tedious path that took two full days of riding to complete. They would have to spend the night outside of the Lost Woods.

"When will we get there?" Epona asked.

"We'll be stopping for the night shortly. But if we start riding shortly after dawn, we should reach the end by the afternoon hours tomorrow," he explaining, squinting at the Lost Woods.

"Can you tell me what's ahead of us from here?"

"I could, but it could change," Ganon pointed out. "What I know is not set in stone most of the time, unless I begin to tell. I would like to keep it that way, Epona," he explained solemnly.

"So you can't tell me what the end of this is like?"

Ganon felt his stomach do a flip. He could see the ending if things continued how they currently were. If it didn't change soon, it would not be well. Epona seemed to read this from his expression, "I understand."

"Could at least tell me about that necklace, then?" she continued to pry.

"If I tell you, you'll tell her. Even then, I don't have much of an idea. I only know that it is vital to end this cycle."

The necklace played the part similar to that of the missing puzzle piece. It would be necessary to use it in the end. The necklace had no particular powers that Ganon could see. What he did see in it was potential. The way it would not leave Zelda makes it even more intriguing to him. While he had expected it, it still surprised him that it was true. More than half of the time, he could tell it bothered her that the necklace would simply appear in her pockets.

"Epona take out the map, please."

Epona reached behind the carriage seat, taking out a large rolled paper. Unrolling it, she struggled briefly before being able to flatten it. "Almeia should be to the left of the Lost Woods, yes?" he asked. Epona nodded, "Yeah, the landscape doesn't change. I thought the river was the important piece here, not the woods."

"Yes, the river is important but it runs straight through. The path we're taking around actually has a bridge over it."

Ganon saw the river in the horizon just as she mentioned it. "Good. This works. Instead of going all the way around, I'm going to use the river to navigate to the center. She should be there if all goes well," he said quietly.

Epona made no verbal objection, but the look she gave him told him he was going insane. "She barely made it out of the swamp. If the Lost Woods is just as merciless, then she may need help," he said.

"It's the Lost Woods. All it has to do is fool you to go in the other direction. Besides, Zelda seemed really scared about us going in with her. Maybe you shouldn't go after her," Epona suggested.

It took a few hours, but they made it to the bridge the same time the sun was kissing the land goodnight. Ganon had ignored Epona's last comment, leading to her huffing and puffing the rest of the travel. When he climbed down from the carriage and prepared to follow the river, he looked at Epona.

Standing in the fading sunlight, he had to admit she looked like a fiery goddess. The moment she spoke, however, he felt annoyed.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Ganon?" she asked impatiently. Her arms were folded across her bosom as she took a few steps closer to him.

"You can come with me," his frown turned into a scowl. He didn't want her to go with him. He'd rather have someone protecting the carriage, but it could prove to be a benefit to have a comrade.

"You're supposed to look hopeful. Not like that," she huffed, walking closer. When she got close enough, she pressed her right palm against his face. He leaned away from her; taking a step back as she persisted, "Are you coming or not," his voice muffled under her hand.

She pulled it away, looking stunned. Shaking it off, she straightened and placed the other hand on her hip, "Yeah, I'm following you, you oaf."

Sighing, Ganon turned away from her to the river. Holding his lantern up, he took a few steps down the small cliff into the shallow river. He was able to walk in it without feeling the current as it was up to his knees. Setting the lantern down on the edge of the river, he reached his hands up toward Epona.

"You can jump, or I can help you down," he offered in a monotone.

Epona looked between his hands, suddenly hesitant and cautious. Finally, she took both of his hands and he guided her down the slope, and into the water. For her, the water reached her mid thigh. "Walk in front of me," Ganon said sternly. "You're more likely to get swept away in the current than I am," he pointed at the water level.

She did as he wanted, making no objections. The two set off deeper into the Lost Woods, wading through the waters that moved against them.

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong>

Apologies if this chapter seemed off. Major writer's block has hit. I'm struggling. Bear with me.


	7. Chapter 7

Ganon and Epona walked through the waters with some difficulty. Sometimes, Epona would step awkwardly on the rocks at the bottom, causing her to almost trip. Each time, Ganon would stand closely behind her, ready to catch her if she fell too far. Each time she made a mistake in her steps, she would make a grunting noise and do her best to avoid his touch. When he realized that it was his helping hand she was avoiding, he kept his distance.

They reached a point where they were able to sit down because the small river's edges sunk down just enough, allowing them to sit comfortably on the edge. The more Ganon thought about, he figured that it would be more accurate to call it a wide creek. It was shallow, but it made up for the depth in its width.

Ganon looked around them cautiously. He was searching for a sign that Zelda may have passed through this area at one point. Staring at the water, it took him a moment to realize that the current had stopped. When they had started, it was strong and threatened to take Epona back to the carriage. "The current has stopped," Ganon said with surprise.

"You're right," Epona replied nonchalantly. It didn't seem to surprise her as much as it did him.

Looking up and down the river, he felt confused about how the current could stop. "Are you ready to keep going?" he asked, standing. Whether or not she was ready, he wanted to keep moving.

Epona shot him a glare and got up, walking closely behind him. With no current, it was easier for her to move and he didn't feel the need to keep her in front. Slowly, the water level fell as they traveled, until it was at Epona's knees. The small incline they were climbing earlier, changed dramatically into an uphill battle.

"Maybe we should walk on the edge, Ganon," Epona panted. She was visibly flustered. Ganon and Epona were both hardy and strong; the exhaustion and weariness setting in was something they rarely felt. "I'm not sure how much longer my legs can take this, Ganon," she complained, her breathing becoming more ragged.

Ganon stopped, putting his hands on his knees as he bent over, trying to recover from the burning sensation in his legs. He was at his limit as well. Panting, he looked further up the river, in the direction they were traveling. There was no end in sight. He wasn't sure if the river would bring them where they needed to go any more. Taking a deep breath, he turned to look at Epona. He gave out a yell in surprise to see her removing her armor. Beneath her armor she wore thin clothing like him and Zelda; her underclothing was white and consisted of loosely fitting pants and a long sleeved shirt. Because of the sweat, her clothing was a sheer off-white color.

"Epona, could you put your armor back on?" he asked, turning away. He couldn't blame her, but it angered him that she would suddenly stop to take off her armor; what if they were attacked? This would delay their traveling, he thought.

"I'm not sure how you're not taking it off, but I can't keep going. I need a break!"

"We just took one."

"I'll carry my armor then, but I can't keep lifting it in the water. My legs are killing me! Why don't you take off your legs pieces? Then, you'll see just how much more comfortable it is!"

He grunted in response. She kept talking, but he tuned her out. His thoughts were focused on trying to get to the top of this hill.

After what felt like an eternity, Epona stopped talking and they reached the top. Both panting, they stared blankly ahead at the village before them. They stood at the top of a waterfall that was frozen in time. Looking back, he saw that each footstep Epona and him had made left a permanent ripple on the surface of the river. "Something's wrong," he mumbled. He wondered how he hadn't noticed the change in the water

"There she is!"

Ganon followed Epona's pointed finger to Zelda who stood in the center of the village. She was holding her necklace to her lips. Planting a kiss on it, she pulled it away and held it toward the sky. The necklace glowed in a rhythm matching a heartbeat. The necklace changed into a harp doused in golden light. As the light slowly faded away, she brought it close to her chest and began strumming it.

When Epona and Ganon looked from the harp to Zelda, they saw the wounds she had. It looked as if her leg had been wounded in the same place as it was in swamp and her forehead had a deep scratch leaking blood into her right eye. Her eyes, Ganon leaned closer for a better view, were no longer the blue he recognized. They were a golden color that shined like the jewelry worn by rich women.

Zelda closed her eyes and lifted her chin. A sweet melody in a language he vaguely recognized chimed through the village before them. The small homes built for the forever-children of Kokiri village seemed to stir from the sound. There were several homes carved from the trunks of large oak trees. The trees stood taller than the rest of the forest, marking the area of their village to outsiders.

From each home, a small head peered through the open doors. In some of the homes, two would look curiously outside. They looked sad, he realized. As Zelda sang, the forest seemed to become a more vibrant shade of green. The pool of water at the bottom of the waterfall that was murky moments ago became crystal clear. The flowers growing on the homes, and in the grasses of the village began to bloom and sway with the melody Zelda played.

When she had stopped playing, the Kokiri children had gathered a circle around her, cheering and smiling. "You did it!" they all laughed playfully and danced with one another. Zelda returned their smiles wholeheartedly. "Zelda!" Epona shouted, waving her arms frantically.

Zelda looked toward them, horrified. "You aren't supposed to be here," she shouted at them. Any trace of happiness had left as she looked at them. She broke away from the circle of children and ran closer to the pool that the frozen waterfall poured into. "Ganon, I told you not to follow me," she yelled angrily.

He was taken aback by her anger. They climbed the river for what felt like an endless torture to make sure she would reach the village in one piece, and here she was yelling at them. "We wanted to make sure you were OK," Epona answered for him. She sounded hurt. "You both need to leave…" Zelda stopped, her mouth dropping into a large "O".

"Jump!" the children yelled at Ganon and Epona. "Don't look behind you, just jump!" they shouted.

Ganon jumped into the pool below them with no questions. Epona, however, turned to look behind them. It was a large serpent creature with scales on its head that stood upward. As it slithered closer to Epona, its tongue flickered and it raised its head. Its head reached a height far above the trees before it curled, leaving a bump along its otherwise flat body. The bump began to expand outward, creating a similar shape to that of a cobra from the Gerudo desert.

The snake opened it mouth, seemingly smiling as its teeth folded out of its gums. "It's Gohruma!" a child shouted. All of the children panicked and fled to their homes as Zelda aided Ganon out of the time-frozen pond. Epona finally jumped from the waterfall. As she hit the water, Gohruma looked down at them in the village.

"This is my forest, Zelda," a deep female's voice came from Gohruma. "You can't take it from me," Gohruma said sharply. As she talked, her head moved from left to right, making her words flow like those in a rhythmic poem.

"I don't want to take it," Zelda said defensively. "I don't want to kill you, but your children are terrorizing the peaceful Lost Woods. These children would've gladly helped you make this your home if you hadn't let your children eat some of them," she reasoned with Gohruma.

"You don't understand, elf. I want to make this forest mine. A queen shouldn't share," Gohruma responded, moving her head back and forth with each word.

Ganon was helped Epona out of the pond as Gohruma slithered into the village. "Because you're so brave, I'll give you a moment to leave before I let my young feed on the rest of the children here. I have no intention of leaving. Master Link promised that I could live here in peace for the rest of my days and my descendant would flourish."

"Without these children," Zelda gestured toward the rest of the village, "this forest would not be habitable. They keep the monsters here at bay! The only reason they let you come here was because your master threatened to kill their precious god."

"I'll kill the god _for_ Master Link!" Gohruma hissed at Zelda. "Gohruma, please leave this place. The desert would be a fine home for you and your descendants," Zelda tried reasoning again.

"Oh, Zelda. Reasoning with this magnificent creature is going to get you nowhere," Link chimed in from a balcony of a nearby Kokiri home. "She's fierce, and she knows that this forest really is the best place for her," he said kindly to Gohruma. Gohruma hummed in response.

"And I see you brought along Ganon and Epona, despite my warning," Link said with a cheeky smile. "You can't say I didn't try," he shrugged.

Zelda glanced at Epona and Ganon over her shoulder. The two were standing, ready to fight. She looked back at Link, and gulped. "I told them not to come," she defiantly yelled at him.

He shook his index finger and made a "tsk" sound. Snapping his finger, a cage enveloped her and lifted her from the ground. The shaped reminded Ganon of a pet bird's cage, but it was far too small for a human being. Zelda couldn't stand in it; it forced her to sit down.

Thinking quickly, Ganon threw a dagger at Link. At the last second, he moved his head just enough to make the dagger hit his ear. Link grabbed his ear, shouting in pain. Ganon threw another, hoping that Link wouldn't be able to dodge it. Unfortunately, he did. With his disappearance, Zelda disappeared as well. Ganon stared at where Zelda and Link were as Epona elbowed him, hard in the ribs. "We'll find her, but you need to pay attention now!"

She was right, he realized. The Kokiri children emerged from their homes. Instead of the innocent looking children they were a short time ago, they now had red eyes, and body proportions that resembled small goblins. Kokiri children generally have two forms: one is a small, innocent child that they use when facing friends and trying to lure people into the forest, and the other is a beast that is meant to be the last one would see before death took them.

"Epona, I need you to take care of this," Ganon said as he looked around the village for an entrance of exit.

"Are you crazy? I can't take on twenty kids and giant snake," she fiercely whispered at him.

"I think you can. After all, you were the strongest guard in Almeia. Have more confidence in your abilities," he assured her as his eyes locked on the entrance he was looking for. "I need to go reason with their god. It will be far more sensible than these children and hopefully it'll help me get Zelda," he reasoned.

Epona seemed to understand, "Get going," she mumbled.

Ganon ran for the entrance; it was in the opposite direction of the fight, thankfully. Epona would have no trouble taking Gohruma, but Kokiri children were nearly invincible when fought in the Lost Woods. The small village the Kokiri dwelled in, at least in legends, had four paths to take. One path would lead deeper into the forest, another would lead to the other side of the forest, another was a way, and the last was a way to shrine of their god.

The Kokiri children god is a large oak tree that towered high above the tree line of the forest. It was said that the great tree could connect to the heavens and if traveler's wished to visit a passed loved one, they could climb the branches to meet them; such a story has led to many deaths in the Lost Woods.

The entrance to the shrine was marked with a vine growing up the tress on either side of the entrance. Looking back to Epona, he saw her land a blow to Gohruma just as a Kokiri child was ready to slash at her back. She had turned in time to parry the blow and strike at a few of the children. The children seemed to disappear into the wind and she switched her focus back to Gohruma.

Ganon ran down the path leading to the great oak, called the great Deku Tree amongst the Kokiri. When he stopped before it, he suddenly unsure of what to do. Was he meant to talk at it and await a response, or would it react to his presence? Deciding that he would talk to it, he began.

As Ganon was ready to speak, the tree stirred. Birds from the nearby trees fled from the scene, as the tree seemed to grow eyes in the trunk. A mouth soon formed and it looked at Ganon expectantly. "I know who you are," it said in a deep voice. It was a soothing voice that could soothe any crying child. "Once evil, now being forced to play the part of a good soul, this is a hard life for you to grasp and understand," it smiled kindly.

"That's not–"

"Zelda is fine," it said with closed eyes. When his eyes opened, they were a shining, emerald green. "My children are wrongfully angry," the great tree said, its wise old voice reflecting the sadness. Epona shortly emerged beside Ganon, looking perplexed. She looked up at the old tree, just as confused.

"What happened?" Ganon asked Epona quietly.

"They… The children… Gohruma and the children all fell asleep," she explained in a volume barely above a whisper.

"Yes," the tree agreed, "I put them asleep. Had this been another life, the snakes would have grown with the children. Link has disrupted the flow of time in this forest, as you had seen in the waters, Ganon. Link is trying to unseal the gate to the time when your ancestor wished his minions upon the world. He has gotten what he wanted from this forest, and in turn has disturbed it."

The sadness in the voice passed into Epona and Ganon's heart. "Can we restore it?" Epona asked, her voice cracking.

"No. You cannot help. In this lifetime, we are doomed to remaining frozen in time until nature has restored itself here."

"What did Link do?" Ganon asked.

"Link came and took the life essence of Saria; you would call her the princess of the Lost Woods. He killed her, and we must wait for her rebirth in my branches. As you know, Ganon, the Kokiri are born in my branches and when they have awakened, my guardians bring them down. Link approached Saria, pretending to be the hero. She accepted him and he took advantage of that to take her life when her guard was down.

The essence he stole was trapped in a medallion similar to the one the Hero of Time collected many lifetimes ago. I tried to warn Saria, but he made her doubt me," the old tree said sadly. A green light emitted brightly before Ganon and Epona. When it dimmed, they were able to see Saria floating. Like all of the other Kokiri children, she had pale skin. Her hair was different than the normal Kokiri orange-blond; instead, it was a green that matched the lush grass. The dress Saria wore was white and flowed around her body as if it were milky water.

"Saria, like you, is in the rebirth cycle, meant to fulfill a role within each life. Normally, Kokiri are immortal unless killed using one of their weapons. Saria is no exception to the rule of immortality, however she hibernates between cycles. When she roams amongst the Kokiri, then we are all aware that the vicious cycle is about to start."

"If she has been killed…" Epona paused as the realization dawned on her, "That means…"

"The Lost Woods will die with her," the tree finished for him. The woods existed for centuries, millennia even, and the people of Hyrule depend on them. Soon, within the next generation, they will fade into dust and become legends. "This is the last cycle in which we will be present, heroes," the tree admitted with his voice full of sorrow.

There were some lifetimes where the forest wasn't vital to the conclusion of the cycle. In those lifetimes, it lay far on the outskirts of Hyrule, waiting for the day it would be needed again. The children would play and prosper in the time of peace.

"If we bring Saria's essence back, won't you continue on, though?" Epona asked, her voice filled with hope.

The tree chuckled, "No, child. This is her last life, I'm afraid."

Ganon brought a hand to his chin, rubbing his beard thoughtfully. Everything was messing up, he thought. Each life vital to the conclusion of a cycle is reborn every cycle without fail. Saria was passing permanently. "How do you know this is a permanent death?" Ganon asked.

"Saria's essence is what allows us to thrive. The green grass, bushes, and creatures living within will not flourish without it. It is because her that we live as immortals and no not of the fear beyond this living forest. Have you ever wondered how the forest seemed to know where you wanted to go and kept it from you? Have you not wondered how she knew to let you pass through the rivers? She called to Zelda requesting help when she realized that the hero she called upon was not who he should have been this cycle.

"If taken out of the forest, it would crumble and decay without her. Her life is also our life, that is why she is protected here," the tree concluded.

"I will keep my children asleep as they perish," the tree promised.

"They have already left the forest?" Ganon asked.

"They remain here. Saria is attempting to trap them as best as she can with what is left in her now frail body," the Deku Tree answered.

"Can you bring us to them?" Epona asked, filling with hope again.

"When you leave, you'll find you will be where you would like to go," the tree smiled at Epona. "Ganon, you know where to go from here but do not let those burdens you carry weigh you down. In this life, change it," the tree concluded.

"Now, it is my turn to sleep, young ones," the tree said softly. Ganon noticed how the tree was speaking more slowly now, his voice deeper and riddled with pain.

Epona and Ganon lingered by the tree, watching him as he fell into his final slumber. Saria's green light dimmed and was gently lowered to the ground. Her already pale skin became a pure white, nearly glowing in the sun that leaked through the forest. Before leaving, Ganon bowed his head and said a prayer to the goddesses for the tree and Saria. He had hoped that this journey would not leave a path of death behind it.

Turning to leave, Epona and Ganon gave one last look to the sad, dying tree. It disappeared from view as they followed the bend in the path. The path seemed endless. "I don't understand why they had to die," Epona muttered.

"They didn't have to. We arrived too late," Ganon responded coldly.

As they walked, Zelda and Link's voice grew louder.

"…don't have to. I'm sure you could change how things go," Zelda pleaded, her face sticking out between the bars. The space between the bars was enough for her to stick her head plus a shoulder out.

"I really have no interest in leaving power behind. Sometimes it might make me feel restless, but I love having a goal," Link said enthusiastically.

Ganon and Epona hid in the bushes, watching them.

Link turned to face Zelda, who had her hands clutching tightly on two bars, her face in the middle. Link bent down, holding Zelda's chin with his left hand. Link leaned down further and planted a kiss on Zelda's lips. Her grip tightened on the bars, but she didn't resist. Zelda returned his kiss eagerly, leaning into it.

From her sitting position, she had to sit up straight, tilting her head upward. Link separated, moving his hands onto hers. Her face was a light pink as he crouched. His hand on her chin moved to her cheek. She pressed her cheek into the palm of his hand lightly, closing her eyes with a small smile. Zelda seemed as if she were in heaven.

Epona gasped and held a hand over her mouth as she watched the two exchange whispers. She looked at Ganon, hurt reflecting from her brown eyes, "How can you watch this?" Ganon shook his head in response and pressed his right index finger to his lips, signaling for Epona to be silent.

Link slowly moved his hands to hers, holding them. Pressing his forehead against hers, he tightened his grip on her hands. They continued to whisper, both looking to be at peace.

Then, Link smiled in a way that made Ganon's inside turn to ice. Abruptly, he stood and shouted for Zelda to get away from him. Zelda's eyes widened and a bright light enveloped the area. Ganon ran into the light, followed by Epona.


	8. Chapter 8

When the light faded, Ganon and Epona were standing where the cage stood just a moment before. Zelda was lying on the ground, motionless. Ganon ran over to her, and after checking to make sure she was alive, he grabbed her hand. Tearing her gauntlet off, he examined her hand, wishing that he had stopped Link. Looking up, Link was standing a short distance away from him.

"She gave me her piece, now why don't you, Ganon?" Link asked with an elated expression. His smile made Ganon want to cringe.

"You took _advantage_ of her memories," Ganon growled. It was something he would've done too, if he had the piece of power, he realized.

"You would have done the same," Link responded coolly, as if reading Ganon's mind. He was tossing an item up and down nonchalantly as he spoke. "I didn't necessarily lie, either," a sly smile crept on his face.

"Now that you seem to have a conscience, this will bother you, I'm sure. Rest assured, my lack of one will help me sleep peacefully tonight," Link said in his smooth, deep voice. He suddenly stopped tossing the object, and looked surprised, "Hold on a minute. You're really trying to be the good guy!"

Epona gripped her sword tightly. She charged for an attack on Link. He easily avoided her attack by disappearing and reappearing beside Ganon. Link knelt in front of him, looking smug. "We both know that in order for me to get that piece from you, I need to make you _want_ to give it to me. So how about a trade? You can have power back if I can have wisdom," Link proposed.

"We both know that wouldn't work. You would keep my piece. I don't need the overwhelming nature of power to –" Ganon stopped midsentence and threw his hand out, like a snake striking its prey. It gripped Link's neck, threatening to break it in two. "I was _born_ for power, you whelp," he growled, forcing Link to lean closer. After putting Zelda's hand down, Ganon slowly stood, holding Link's neck firmly.

Link grunted as he was forced to stand with him. Green eyes locked with red eyes, Ganon raised Link's body so that their eyes were level, making Link a few inches taller. When Link's feet began to leave the ground, he brought his hands to Ganon's large hand closed on his neck, attempting to pull it away. Pressing his thumb, Ganon lowered his eyes and threw Link aside. "Killing you will solve nothing at this point. But rest assured, that when the time comes, I will not hesitate," Ganon glared at the terrified Link.

Link disappeared again, leaving an imprint in the grass where he was thrown. He felt a hand on his forearm, bringing him away from his thoughts. Epona tucked a lock of hair behind her ear with her free hand, pursing her lips, "For what it's worth, I think you did the right thing." Her voice was barely above a whisper; it was soft and it gave him some comfort.

Looking at his hand, he inhaled deeply, "Had it been any other cycle, I would have killed him in an instant." But now he can't because the bond that wisdom and courage have can't be broken, he thought. Looking to Zelda, he felt disappointed in her ability to understand the situation she was put in. He was angry because he couldn't keep her from falling into the trap. Worst of all the emotions, was that he felt defeated; it was a feeling he was used to when it came to Zelda and Link.

Epona let go of Ganon, and knelt by Zelda. Gentle hands rolled Zelda over onto her back. She removed Zelda's weapons and placed them in the bag she had brought with her from the carriage. When the equipment was safely tucked into the bag, Epona helped Ganon get Zelda onto his back in a comfortable position for him to carry her.

The forest seemed smaller and empty now that it was possible to see through it. Hours ago, the forest was thick, brimming with life, and threatening to keep one trapped within its enormity forever. Shortly after Link disappeared, the atmosphere of the forest lightened, and began to clear. Dusk on the horizon was visible through the forest that was once shielded from the light of the rising and setting sun. In a place he had once felt small in, it was different for him to feel in control, and large. There were no signs of the Kokiri village, or the Great Deku Tree. It was a forest just like any other.

Epona and Ganon walked in silence back to the carriage, which they could see through the thinned forest. They set up a comfortable bed in the carriage for Zelda, turned the carriage around, and headed back to Almeia.

"Is she going to be OK?" Epona asked after a few hours. The sound of crickets, frogs, and other nightlife almost drowned her voice out.

"Yes," Ganon responded quickly and confidently. "Physically she is well. She will need time mentally. Zelda has much to think about."

"Where are we going? Are we going to stay in Almeia? We don't even know if she got what we needed in the woods."

He thought for a moment before answering. Epona was right. They had no idea if it was accomplished. Regardless, there was no forest to go back to. The Great Deku Tree removed the mythical existence of the forest, making it a normal wooded area. In a few years, there may even be a village there, he thought.

"We're going back to my home, Epona. Zelda will need rest, and we could use some time to collect our thoughts, I'm sure. Zelda may not accompany me now that she no longer holds courage."

His gaze shifted downward, "She didn't want to be a part of this to begin with. This whole ordeal may just make it easier on her. Without the triforce in her life, she could go back to her village, and try to make friends. Whatever it is normal that wood elves do in their lives, I am certain that she wishes to do that."

Epona frowned, "I'm glad I came with you."

He looked at her expectantly, "You came because Zelda and you became friends within five hours." She looked away, silently admitting that his statement was true.

"I am glad you came with us as well," he said quietly. It was true that he felt happy for her presence. When Epona joined them, Zelda was happier and it was easier for him to do what he needed to do. Although it had been only a couple days since they had left Almeia, it felt as though it had been longer. Epona didn't respond.

The sun was creeping over the horizon when they were leaving Almeia. Ganon had driven the carriage all night. Not that it was a hard task, but his body felt somewhat tired from sitting in the same position. Epona had gone to sleep in the back of the carriage with Zelda when the moon was at its highest point.

When the sunlight filtered through the wagon, Epona woke and promptly joined him in the front of the carriage. She muttered a "good morning" through her yawns, but she looked as if she hadn't slept. Throughout the evening, his thoughts preoccupied him. They didn't linger on Zelda very long. While he did feel some guilt, it was her fault for thinking she could convince Link not to follow through with his desires. For the holder of power, that's similar to asking him not to breathe.

Ganon remembered the urgency to gain power. He remembered Zelda trying to convince him that he didn't need to do it. She tried to tell him that he only needed to give her his piece of the triforce, and it would all be over. In those memories, Ganon knew she was wrong. He didn't need to hold the piece of wisdom to know that the cycle would continue regardless. His loss would only mean that the people of Hyrule were safe for one or two centuries, maybe a millennia.

Envy was also playing a part in his mind. One cycle in particular, he recalled falling for the princess. It wasn't a thought he liked to remember because it felt like throwing salt in an open wound. He didn't feel that way now, as far as he could tell.

"What the hell do you think about all night that can make a carriage ride seem _somewhat_ interesting?" Epona asked incredulously. Her voicewas hoarse. She was annoyed with him.

He didn't answer. Instead, he pulled the carriage slightly off the trail. Tending the horses, he decided he would sleep and make Epona steer. "How many times did you stop to tend the horses last night? They look exhausted," Epona remarked, petting one as she fed it an apple.

"We should stop for a few hours to let them rest," he said as he went to the back of the carriage. During the long trips with the carriage, he tried to pull over often to let them rest, but he couldn't remember the last time he had stopped. That was probably how they made it to Almeia so quickly.

The carriage was small compared to him. He had to crawl to get inside of it, but it had length suitable for him to lay down in without a problem. Carefully, he lifted Zelda's torso, and shoved the extra blankets they carried behind her to support the change in position. Her upper body was shifted into an incline, her hands folded, resting on her stomach.

Pouring a cup of water, he slowly trickled the liquid into her mouth. When he was finished, he set up the area for him to sleep as well. The wall that was between him and Zelda the first time they slept in the carriage was much smaller. Most of his supplies had diminished during the trip.

As restless and uneasy as he was, he eventually fell asleep.

"We should probably get going now," Epona's voice woke him. Sighing, he got up and left the carriage. Epona was giving more water to Zelda as he began preparing the horses for the trip. They seemed reluctant to put the equipment back on, but with enough petting, hay, and apples they eventually complied. By the time he was ready to pull away, Epona had joined him, but on her horse instead of sitting beside him.

"I don't think he'll be very happy pulling your weight again," Ganon joked. Her horse had been happily following them. Sometimes, it would stop to graze on some grass or drink some water, but it always caught up. It reminded Ganon of the Epona from the other lifetimes; always following Link around and running to his aid when he called for her, Epona was a fine companion during those lifetimes.

"What are some of your memories? I don't have any from previous lives, like you and Zelda do."

"There are a lot of them. Is there a certain one you want to hear first?"

"How about the time Hyrule was an ocean?" Epona asked, her tone showing her enthusiasm.

Ganon barked out a deep, hardy laugh, "I was really close that time. I had the three pieces together, and I close to touching the triforce, but then the king came and took it away from me."

"What about Link and Zelda?"

"They killed me that time. At that point, wisdom would gain insight through prophetic dreams," he explained, "I was trying to see when the ocean may end, or when it began. Coming from an ocean of sand, the water was an intriguing change. I wanted Hyrule to rise again so that I may rule it once more."

"Once more? You've won before?"

"Yes. They were nice and satisfying times for me. I never wiped out humanity, I kept them for labor and other menial tasks that my people couldn't be bothered to do, sometimes. Hylians are unusually passive and submissive."

"I've never heard of the great Ganon succeeding," Epona said in a mystified tone.

"They are stories long forgotten. The people do their best to forget it and try to hide behind the Royal Family. When the Royal Family was taken down, the people made it a point to forget the stories of Ganon's victories."

"What was it like to rule Hyrule? What happened when you weren't there?"

"You ask too many questions," Ganon grunted. She giggled, "And you don't give enough information about yourself."

"Why aren't you with your mother, and why are you a guard?"

"See," Epona shrugged, still smiling, "I don't care about answering questions. My ma is fine living in Almeia. She plays with her neighbors, and they tend to look out for her because I joined the guard and worked a lot. I went back to tell her I was leaving with you and Zelda. She was proud of me! I joined the guard because I would beat all of the boys who challenged me," she exclaimed proudly.

"You should answer my questions now," Epona's excitement returned.

"…Hyrule was easy to rule. The demons, monsters, and ogres that humans sealed away, I brought back from the corner of the sacred realm. Under my rule, they would war amongst themselves, and seek my help when they felt cornered. It was fun to be a renown war general. That's what power enjoys: manipulating the battlefield and trying to turn things in your favor grants a feeling of," Ganon paused to think of the word. "Ecstasy, and triumph may be the best words to describe it. I would live for centuries, until finally someone would kill me in battle. It was a good way to go. Afterword, my descendents would take over. They were usually killed shortly after taking over through some rebellion."

"Was that how it was every time?"

"No. In some cases, I ruled the humans the way Zelda had before I kept her as a prisoner. I had a firmer hand over delivering justice and I would conquer all of the civilizations I could reach. Hyrule would prosper and grow in my palm. Unfortunately, in those cases there were no heirs to replace me on the throne, so it died with me when I would pass within a couple centuries."

"So, you would have babies to keep the throne," Epona smirked. Her change in demeanor made him slightly uncomfortable.

"Yes, I would have children," he responded. Ganon decided it would be best not explain that in one instance he could remember, it was with Zelda. The memories triggered by Link would certainly not surface the lifetime she spent with him. He didn't feel unhappy with his current circumstances. However, he felt that he would rather not get tangled in that mess.

"I was expecting you to say more than that," Epona pouted. From the corner of his eye, he saw she was staring at him. After a few moments, he looked back at her, making her jump.

"What?" he asked.

"You're so _regal_."

He looked forward again, brow furrowed.

"Don't look so offended. For not being a prince or a king, you seem to act the part. I bet this is how Zelda is when she's a princess," Epona said happily.

"I am a king," he responded coolly.

"Of what? The desert you were kicked out of?"Ganon winced. Zelda didn't spare Epona any details, it seemed.

He looked at her again. This time, she recoiled. "I may not hold the triforce of power, but I hold enough influence amongst the monsters that dwell in this land today."

"The snake still tried to kill you," her voice was filled with skepticism.

"She was infatuated with Link," Ganon growled. He knew who Gohruma was. She was a warlord like himself amongst the monsters he knew. She was powerful and known for sending her children to war with no remorse. When they were babies she cared for them, but when they outgrew the care she provided, she was quick to send them off, kill them, or even eat them. Her taking over the Lost Woods was an example of her motherly instinct. Within less than a year, those children would have been sent around Hyrule to kill and conquer. The Great Deku Tree vowed to let her pass quietly, but Ganon wondered if the tree knew how he thought she deserved anything but a quiet death.

Epona stopped asking questions, but for the rest of the trips, she talked with him. He was ignoring her for the most part, and she knew it, but she continued rambling on. Soon, evening came again and they stopped for the night. They were on the edge of the forest where Ganon and Zelda started. After making dinner, and taking care of other small tasks, Epona set up her bed in the carriage. Ganon set his bed up outside, sheltered by the trees. He heard her try to talk to him, but he fell asleep.

When they woke, they headed into the woods. It took most of the day, but as dusk was threatening to take over the sky, Ganon's castle came into view. Epona marveled about how impressive it was until they got to the main gates. Where there should've been a garden was dead grass with patches of dirt, and statues were worn and crumbling.

"I take back the compliments," she muttered as they stopped before the large doors. Amelia and Oroth opened the doors, both looking excited. Epona was stunned that people lived there. Zelda hadn't told her about Amelia and Oroth, yet she told her about him? He felt slighted.

"Welcome back!" the two exclaimed together. They ran forward to help him with the supplies.

"Before you help me with this, Oroth, could you get Zelda out of the back and into a bed? Preferably the one she stayed in before we left," Ganon instructed.

"She hated you before leaving too," Oroth joked.

"Maybe you should try being nice, Ganon," Amelia laughed as she jumped down from the carriage, holding leftover supplies in her arms.

Ignoring their jokes, Ganon immediately helped Epona and Amelia. Ororth carried Zelda off to her room. "Do I get my own room?" Epona asked eagerly.

"No. You can share with Amelia," Ganon said callously.

"He's joking," Amelia whispered to Epona with a warm smile. "I'll show you to your room after we've eaten."

When the carriage was unpacked, the horses tended to, and they were inside, Oroth and Amelia brought them to the dinner table. Epona, Ganon, Amelia, and Oroth set the table, and put the food out on the table before sitting down and finally eating.

"We need to talk now that the triforce is truly awakened, Ganon," Amelia said softly as they had finished. Ganon looked at her, shocked. He had told them about the triforce, but he never went into detail about it with them. Not that he thought it was none of their business, but he assumed they were uninterested.

"We are Impa," Oroth and Amelia spoke simultaneously. "The previous Ganondorf's power was so great, that when he killed Impa in the last cycle, her spirit was broken into two pieces," they explained slowly. "While you behave similar to the previous Ganondorfs, you have shown us that you mean no harm. We have decided to aid you, knowing that you are not the tainted owner of the piece of power," Oroth spoke in a majestic voice.

When their voices spoke together, he recognized it; it was the voice all of the holders of Impa's spirit had inherited for their lives. No matter the cycle, Impa always had the same voice. It was feminine but deep, and confident. It was full of warmth toward her comrades. How he had not noticed it earlier was beyond him. Amelia echoed the feminine piece with confidence, and Oroth presented the same confidence, but with warmth, sincerity, and a hint of something else he couldn't identify.

It made sense to him, though. Perhaps that was why he was able to trust them easily his whole life.


	9. Chapter 9

**Zelda**

* * *

><p>A cool touch on her lips made her begin to stir. Her eyes opened, and she slowly sat up. Blinking through her unclear vision, she noticed someone sitting at the end of her bed. As her vision cleared, she took note of the room she was in. It wasn't familiar to her right away. It felt homey, but her bed was large with a canopy. It was all white silk with quilts covering her filled with patterns of the triforce, and pieces of history. The canopy was a sheer white, opened on the side where the person was sitting on her bed. The other sides were closed, giving her a nice shade from the sunlight entering the room through the tall windows.<p>

"Are you OK?" he asked in a soft, quiet voice, scooting closer to her.

It was Link. His eyes were blue, like hers, and he had blonde-brown hair. He was wearing a tattered green tunic with chainmail underneath. There were several rips and cuts all over him, but nothing that seemed to require immediate attention. Zelda brought her hands to her mouth and gasped in surprise as she realized who he was.

"We stopped him again," Link said happily as he looked at her.

"What about your friends? Did they make it?" she asked. Zelda didn't know why she was asking. She was only saying what she felt she needed to.

"Yes," he said confidently. "They all made it. They left this morning to return to their homes. I was going to leave soon too, but I felt as though I should wait to say good-bye," he smiled at her. It made her feel like a butterfly was fluttering about in her chest.

"That's good," she said in a voice she didn't quite recognize as her own. "You don't have to leave right away. You can stay! You're a hero now, and you should be treated as one," there was a firmness in her voice as she spoke.

"I would rather not, princess. Actually, you're a queen now, Zelda. You can take care of the kingdom without worrying about some impending doom now. Your nightmares will be gone now too."

Zelda felt a sadness coming from him as he spoke. "I don't want you to go," she said quietly. It was her voice now, she realized. The warm smile in front of her turned into a smirk. The blue eyes she knew as Link's slowly faded into a red. The green hat he wore seemed to disappear, leaving no trace of its existence. His hair was tied back in a long, blond ponytail. He grabbed her left hand with enough force that she winced and held back a yell in pain.

He leaned closer, squeezing her hand still. His breath on her ear sent a shiver down her spine. "You're useless now," he whispered. "I have courage, and you're just a nuisance. If you're loyal, and do as I ask, then I'll make sure I keep a place open by my side," he paused. "Just for you," he spoke slowly, pronouncing each syllable with care.

When he moved to plant a kiss, she jerked back, terrified.

Her eyes shot open, and Zelda sat up, gasping for air. Eyes wide, panting, and cold sweat dripping from what felt like every pore on her body, she hurriedly looked around. She wasn't surrounded with white, and Link wasn't at the end of her bed. The walls were dark gray, almost black, and her sheets were red. There was no canopy. The one window in the room brought sunlight and a frigid winter breeze.

Zelda lifted her knees, and brought her hands to her face. A sense of relief washed over her; she felt safe again. This was the room she slept in when she resided in Ganon's castle briefly. She knew she would be safe here. Then, she felt the emptiness in her chest.

Her hands moved frantically from her face to her torso. Her hands patted randomly, feeling for something, trying to pinpoint where her sense of emptiness was coming from. It wasn't the necklace, she noted. The necklace was safely tucked in the pocket of the pants she wore. It was something else that was missing. Stopping, a pang of guilt consumed her.

Link's touch, she remembered. Opening her hands, looking into her palm, she began shaking uncontrollably. Her left hand quickly covered her lips, her eyes widening in fear. The kiss that made her feel warm, and whole, was a deceiving gesture. When his hands were on hers, he took her courage. He took what she had deemed was her reason for surviving so long. How did she assume Link wouldn't steal it?

The sound of his whispers echoed in his ears as if he were still beside her. Covering her ears, she lowered her head, and closed her eyes as tightly as she could. Zelda didn't hear the door open and close. She felt the bed move, but she didn't pay any mind to it. But when a warm hand gently touched her face, she recoiled. "Get away!" she screamed. The hand came back, this time accompanied by the other. They cupped her cheeks so tenderly, that she doubted she had awakened from the dream she was in before.

Finally, she opened her eyes, blinded by the haziness of her frantic tears. The unmistakable red hair gave her comfort, however. Epona had come to give her aid again. In the small amount of time Zelda had spent with Epona, she felt a strong bond with her. It was almost like a sibling, but at the same time, it was something that made her feel not so alone, and stronger. Zelda let her hands slip away from her ears as she returned the hug Epona was giving her.

"What have I done?" Zelda asked Epona in disbelief, her voice trembling with her. She didn't expect an answer, of course. She knew the answer: she had given courage to Link, and now that left everything in Ganon's hand. At the thought of Ganon, she felt pity, and regret.

"He explained it to me," Epona said softly. "I know that you remember your previous lives. You only remember the times with Link by your side and you loved him once, maybe twice," she continued. "It's OK though, because we're going to get courage back and we're going to defeat him!"

Zelda felt her face heat up as she remembered Link kissing her. Aside from experiencing a flicker of what she thought was love, she felt embarrassment for her friend and Ganon witnessing it. "Don't think about it," Epona said, as if she were reading her mind, "Link tricked you. He didn't mean anything he said."

"I remember too," Zelda's hollow voice replied. She repeated the last whisper she received from him before she gave him courage. But it wasn't what he said that lingered in her mind. It was the way he said it. His voice sounded sad, filled with grief. It struck a string in her heart when she heard his voice filled with sorrow.

"Remember what?" Epona asked, pulling away. Her big, bright brown eyes filled with curiosity. "Your eyes are blue again," she added.

"They weren't before?" Zelda asked, her thoughts about Link coming to a halt.

"When you were playing the harp, your eyes were gold."

"How could you tell? I thought you were far away," Zelda responded incredulously.

"They glowed," she responded quickly.

Zelda knew her eyes changed color to a golden color, but it had only happened once or twice that she could remember. Each time, there didn't seem to be a specific trigger for it either. She assumed Epona wouldn't know the answer, thus, she decided not to ask. "Where's Ganon?" she asked, somewhat reluctantly. An apology and a thanks were owed to him, she thought.

"He's speaking with Oroth and Amelia," Epona said as she pulled away from Zelda. She sat across from Zelda at the end of the bed, cross-legged. "He's going over what to do in order to get the master sword."

"Why would they know?" Zelda asked, inquisitively.

Epona explained to her the conversation she had missed. When Zelda asked how Impa was split into two pieces, Epona hesitantly told her the truth. Zelda cringed at the response. It made her feel uneasy about the past lives. She wished the memories would have left her when the piece of courage had. Thankfully, she had no memories of Ganon from her previous lives.

"What's the plan now?" Zelda asked.

"They're discussing that now. I left because I wanted to see if you were up," she shrugged. "Good thing, too! If I hadn't, you would've been screaming up a storm. Ganon would've flipped a table," she laughed.

"Out of anger, I'll bet. I think I hate him," Zelda admitted, her desire to apologize vanishing.

"I don't think you've talked to him enough."

"I ask him questions but when he's tired of answering, he just grunts. You have seen it! When you try to involve him in the conversation, he gets annoyed," Zelda exclaimed.

"He knows so much," Epona said enthusiastically, her hands by her head, moving outward as if her head were expanding. "I can see why he wouldn't want to talk when he has so much going on up here!"

"That's no excuse for being unfriendly. He also kidnapped me to get me here in the first place. I really have no reason to be more than cordial toward him," Zelda frowned. In fact, she couldn't think of a reason _not_ to dislike him. The apology she felt she owed him was no longer in her mind; if anything, Ganon owed _her_ an apology.

"I'm not going to justify the kidnapping. I think he has a problem with it. But, he's trying to look out for you," Epona tried to reason with her.

"It's his fault I'm in this situation. Why should I be thankful?"

Epona stared at her blankly, searching for something. When her expression softened, Zelda felt herself relax. Epona gave a warm smile, and laughed. She went on to tell Zelda about Ganon's few stories he shared. She also talked about, through many lifetimes, Epona's striking red characteristics were what made her stand out each time.

Zelda felt a happiness creep into her heart as she listened. She felt comfortable, and content, as if she had a place she belonged. Without Ganon, she thought that her mind would be completely at ease. Despite the small adventure they had endured together, his admittance to harboring a desire to kill her made her feel off; as it would put anyone in an uncomfortable state of mind, Zelda had taken comfort in the fact that he could not touch her because of the triforce. Now, she no longer had that protection. If he did want to kill her, he could.

Epona's talking managed to drown most of Zelda's worries until Epona mentioned Ganon again.

"I can't wait to continue traveling with Ganon and you!"

"I can't go," Zelda said.

"What do you mean? Without you, this can't stop. You're the hero, we need—"

"With Link being the real holder of courage, I'm not an important piece to this cycle any more. I'm not needed. Good riddance."

"That is not true," Ganon responded from the doorway. He entered with Amelia and Oroth closely behind him.

"You need to earn courage back," Amelia explained happily.

"You've already accomplished most of the work. You can certainly still do it," Oroth smiled warmly at her, "That is, if you want to, of course."

Zelda's eyes didn't leave Ganon's when Amelia and Oroth were speaking. The eye contact maintained was long enough to make Epona start showing signs of discomfort through her glancing between Zelda and Ganon.

"Why didn't you just kill me," Zelda's words dripped with deadly venom as she spat them at Ganon.

"Do you want me to?" He responded in a voice that blew across the room like an arctic wind. Zelda couldn't tell if a smirk was threatening to make its way onto his face.

"He can't," Amelia intervened. Sadness seemed to linger with her words, as she spoke, "Ganon cannot kill you. The bond begins when the triforce is activated and physically observable. However, it is deep within your soul where it truly takes up residence. If you can show your courage in gathering the precious stones, then it will return to you."

"You gave Link your piece, but you can get it back without his permission until all three pieces are together. You need to desire it enough for this to occur, however," Oroth pleasantly added to Amelia's statement.

"We also need to get the master sword," Ganon's icy voice broke through the warmth Amelia and Oroth had added to the conversation. "The master sword will be used to seal away power's spirit until another cycle is meant to happen. But, if we can get the triforce together, then—"

"I get it," Zelda interrupted him. "I'll go," she meekly whispered.

"Zelda, it'll be over once we get the master sword. If everything works the way it's supposed to, then you will have the Link you knew from all of the previous cycles," Epona put a warm, gentle hand on Zelda's shoulder as she spoke.

"And the final battle? The one that will end in either me or him dying?" Zelda knew there were no definitive answers for her questions. They knew what was coming her way.

"I can fight," Ganon's voice cut through the room.

"No, you can't," Epona said too quickly. "You're wisdom, not courage. If everything repeats, he'll have your piece by the time of the final battle. Plus, Zelda should be able to handle him without a problem."

"No, she won't, because she's infatuated with the Link from her past lives," Ganon said.

"We wouldn't have had to worry about this if Link was the one that got wisdom or courage. I bet you, more than anything, that this is all your fault. You know how I know? It's _always_ your fault. You started this mess many years ago, and now it's being changed. It would only have the power to change if _you_ did it," Zelda's words seemed to crack like a whip. When the last few words left her tongue, she felt regret wrench her heart. What was an expression of determination and confidence shrank into one that resembled a puppy being disciplined.

Their eye contact was finally broken in the middle of her statement. He broke it by glancing down at the ground. He showed no sign of emotion in his face, but that made her nervous. Epona was staring at Zelda, horrified. Amelia and Oroth looked at one another with uncertainty as Ganon left. Zelda's breathing picked up as her anger blossomed once more. Too quickly, she jumped out of bed, causing her weak legs to collapse under her.

Epona tried to help her up, but Zelda swatted her hand away and got up herself. It took a few tries, and what felt like an hour to her. On her feet, she ran after him, Epona closely behind her. Zelda called out to Ganon as she saw him farther down the hallway. It was dark, just like the first hallway she was lost in when she first entered the castle.

He stopped. "You know I'm right, that's why you're walking away. If you would—"

Ganon turned to face her, his face emotionless. Her angry shout was halted midsentence by his movement.

"Yes, you're right. I didn't realize at the time that I had changed it, but I did. Maybe I could put it back to the way it was before," he spoke as he slowly approached Zelda. "When you're the King of Theives, the Gerudo put you through a special test. I had to awaken the triforce. I had to go and steal power. I had to become what the Gerudo needed so that they may survive another generation."

His walking stopped when he was only a few feet from Zelda. She couldn't tell if her legs trembled out of fear, or the weakened muscles. He bent down slightly, their eyes locking as intently as they had in the bedroom, "Nayru, the goddess of wisdom approached me. She asked if I wanted to be powerful, courageous, or all-knowing. I told her I needed power because the Gerudo required it of me. Nayru disagreed with my choice.

"The goddess told me my efforts would go to waste with power. She showed me what would happen to my people, depending on which I chose. All the while, she explained that my role was coming to change. They wanted a different fate for us; they told me they wanted a different end to the tale that had been occurring for one too many lifetimes."

The anger building up in his voice caused Zelda to take a step back, bumping into Epona. She put her hands on Zelda's shoulders. She felt this was a piece of his past that she didn't want to hear. Zelda didn't want to feel pity for him, but she began to understand that he had no choice in the matter.

"When I told them that I wanted power, they denied me. I don't remember what happened next, but when I woke up, I did not have power," his frown deepened. Standing up straight, his hands turned into fists, "I did not _choose_ wisdom, Zelda. I did not _choose_ to endure this journey with anyone, especially you. What I do know is that if the goddesses were paying attention to what I wanted, then this would not have happened. I did not wish to watch the Gerudo become extinct under me. They may have exiled me, but I saved them."

Silence from his deep, boomed voice made it feel like Zelda's ears were ringing. "Did you tell them?" Epona asked quietly, heartbreak evident in her words. Why she sounded sad, Zelda was unsure. A flicker of rage overtook the slight pity she had felt earlier. While the goddesses had chosen the path, it was still Ganon's fault that the triforce was awakened.

Ganon nodded, "I told them, but they did not like me not having power. They would have preferred dying in battle to waiting out their lives in the desert."

"It is your fault," Zelda growled. "I have to compensate for _your_ mistake."

"This doesn't only have to do with you," Ganon spat back. "There is something we're all fighting for and your reason just happens to be for normalcy."

"And what will you do once you no longer have the burden of the triforce?" Zelda asked furiously. He may not have asked for it through the goddesses, but he desired a different path, and his desire changed hers and Link's future.

"I will rule over Hyrule and bring the wood elves back to their glory as the Royal Family," he said coolly as he turned to walk away.

"You're looking for a replacement title to your King of Thieves," Zelda accused.

He half-turned just enough for him and Zelda to establish eye contact. "Does it matter? You're not a princess, and you don't care for the elves."

"The Hylians will never accept them back into the Royal Family."

"We'll see."

Ganon walked into the darkness of the hallway, his footsteps echoing in the hall.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

Hey ladies and gents. How many of you can guess how this story is going to go?  
>Probably about 10 more chapters left.<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

When Zelda was brought back into the room, Amelia and Oroth left without a word. Within a few hours, Zelda was up, pacing her room as Epona looked on anxiously.

"I really don't think he'll kill you, Zelda."

"You're right because there's something preventing him from doing so."

"What will convince you that he won't kill you?"

"I don't… know," Zelda spoke slowly. She was already convinced he wouldn't kill her. Realistically, she knew she was safe from him. However, the small voice in the back of her mind was terrorizing her with possibilities of being killed by him. Fear wasn't what was driving her, as she only felt intimidated by him when he was angry.

"I want to practice with my sword," Zelda said suddenly.

"Are you sure your legs will be able to handle that?" Epona asked with a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

Zelda didn't answer. She grabbed some fresh clothing, deliberately leaving the heroic green tunic in the wardrobe. Over the light fabric, she wore the heavy cloak that Ganon had given her for the traveling. It was thick and soft, with the smell of fresh leather. It felt heavier than she remembered. Picking up the sword, Epona called out to her.

"We're not using real swords. You'll hurt yourself," she said firmly.

"I'll hurt myself regardless," Zelda's stubborn response made Epona groan.

Zelda left the bedroom with Epona close on her heels. The safety she felt in that bedroom made her anxious. She realized the sense of security came from the bond between wisdom and courage, but she hoped that it would have gone away with the piece being removed from her body.

Outside, Zelda shivered when the cold wind licked her face. The foliage suggested that it was the end of fall as leaves lay on the ground in heaps of red and brown. The air was dry, and it felt as if it were the early hours of the morning. Epona glanced at Zelda wearily as she looked around for a good spot to practice.

Ganon's castle was immense. It held a courtyard in the center, with high towers and gigantic black walls that threatened to consume the sun.

"How do you think Ganon got this castle?" Zelda asked, wandering through the messy courtyard. The castle wasn't maintained very well, she thought. The paths outside consisted of stone, but it was worn and dusty. The remains of plants went uncared for as they became wild and tall. Decaying bushes and flowerbeds were replaced with patchy dirt and crispy, dead vines.

There was no response from Epona. When Zelda looked at her, she was admiring a crumbling statue that Zelda passed without a second thought. Epona's hand touched the statue. Zelda didn't recognize what it was until she inspected it more closely. The shape of the statue was that of a person sitting on a horse that stood on its hind legs. Details of the clothing and faces were worn to the point where they were faceless shapes.

Epona's eyes held a hint of revelation as her hand touched the stone horse's belly.

Zelda bent over to read the faded plaque. It read, "The Hero and his truest Friend". It was missing letters, but Zelda knew the statue. The memory returned to her the moment she recognized the shape. "This was me in another life, huh?" Epona asked.

"It is. I remember this statue," Zelda said softly.

"How did it get here? Ganon hates Link."

Epona's question threw Zelda off briefly. She realized, however, that the statue has not moved. It has been in the same spot for a very long time. "No," Zelda said quietly, "The statue has not moved." Despite the decaying courtyard and dark castle walls, she knew the layout of the courtyard. It was why she was never lost when she walked around the castle, she realized.

This was not always Ganon's castle; this was her castle before him. Fury ran through her blood as she clenched her fists. Ganon took everything from her, it seemed. "He has taken everything I was supposed to have," Zelda growled.

Epona turned to her with an expression so fierce that Zelda took a couple steps back. "Stop needlessly blaming Ganon. It's not his fault that things ended up the way they have. The goddesses would have had it changed whether or not he wandered into the sacred realm. Yeah, you drew the bad hand in life, but you need to move on from what could have or should have. You need to accept this fate. Past cycles didn't seem to have a problem with their situations."

Her words hit Zelda as if she had tried to run through a brick wall. Epona drew her sword, and stepped into her usual stance. Drawing her sword as well, Zelda took her stance. They channeled their frustrations with one another into the sword fighting, although Epona was clearly holding back. Each time Epona was able to reach a spot that would've killed Zelda, she left a small cut. Zelda had made no such marks on Epona.

The fighting ended when one of Zelda's counterattacks were blocked. Panting, she collapsed to one knee, unable to hold herself up any longer. If she were told it had been days since they began, Zelda would have believed it. Epona deflected Zelda's sword and sheathed it. She was sweating, but her breathing was even and calm. Zelda fell back onto her behind, dropping her sword, and then putting her hands behind her.

Epona turned away and left Zelda outside. Zelda watched her go, feeling unsatsified. When Epona was gone, sorrow tiptoed into her heart. Zelda hadn't experienced Epona being angry with her; the feeling of remorse she had made her wish that the pain were physical instead of emotional. The more Zelda thought about it, the more she knew that Epona was right.

Zelda was behaving as if she were a spoiled child. While others had been unfair to her before she was brought to Ganon's castle, she felt entitled to something better because of all she had endured. Ganon had been the source of her misery for too many lives, thus, she blamed him repeatedly.

What felt like a stone settled in her stomach, as she contemplated apologizing to Ganon. Pride would be her only obstacle in the act. Biting her lip, she remembered Ganon's threats; she owed him nothing of the sort, she decided. Taking a deep breath, she realized that all she wanted was a sincere apology from Ganon or him reassuring her that he would not kill her. The one time he threatened her in any way was when he had fired a dark energy ball at her to knock her out. It was enough, but she knew he had his own reasons.

Zelda groaned in frustration; she hated the needless emotions. Between being angry with Ganon and conflicted about Link, she felt overwhelmed. When she was in the forest, all she could think about was leaving behind Epona and Ganon. It had made her terrified, yet she found a way to persist. As soon as she saw Link, however, her worrying for them vanished and all she wanted was for Link to hold her. Lying down on the frigid soil, Zelda looked at the sky, her breath finally slowed down to a reasonable speed, leaving traces of white puffs in the light breeze. Under the cloak, she folded her hands over her stomach and tried to clear her mind by counting the stars.

"Dear, Zelda," Link said as his face appeared over hers, upside-down.

Gasping, Zelda jumped. No matter how she tried, she was unable to move away. Her eyes widened in fear as he repositioned himself so that he was hovering over her. His hands were beside her shoulders, and his knees were on the outside of her hips. He leaned down, planting a kiss on her forehead. She felt her stomach turn into a tight knot.

"What is on your mind?" he said in a smooth voice.

"Get away from me."

"Are you angry with yourself because you gave me your courage?"

His lips were by her left ear, sending a shiver down her spine. She wanted nothing more than to get away from him, but at the same time, she felt that she was hoping for an intimate interaction.

Cold, long fingers grasped her chin as they had when she was in his small cage in the forest. "You are, I see. But if you want it back, I can give it to you… In exchange for something of course. After all, you already know what I want," Link whispered enthusiastically.

"No, I don't know what you want, but I'll get it back by earning it," she responded rebelliously. Zelda felt his warm breath on her neck.

He pulled back, locking eyes with her, placing his hand beside her shoulder once more. "You want the same thing I do," he urged. "I just want you to take Ganon's piece of wisdom and then kill him. That's all. You'll feel better in the end. Then, you and I together will take over Hyrule and restore it to the great kingdom it once was."

Zelda felt the tightness leave her body; quickly, she moved to push him off of her, but he disappeared before her hands were near him. Putting a hand over her pounding heart, she knew he wasn't actually there. It was a dream. He was haunting her. Looking down at her hands, she wondered if it would be possible for her to kill Ganon.

Ganon was a _beast_ compared to her in terms of size. His strength was also incredible compared to hers. Tightening her hands into fists, she looked up to see Ganon standing at the far end of the courtyard.

"It's late. Why are you out?" Zelda spat at him. His approach made her feel tense.

He was silent as he approached her. A few feet in front of her, he kneeled down. "Can you walk?" he asked. Zelda couldn't tell if he was genuinely concerned, but it made her feel pleasant to have him show some distress over her well-being.

Her lips tensed, as she was reluctant to answer. Carefully, she was able to get on her feet without his help. He stood up, looking at her with an intent she couldn't identify.

"I'm fine," she said finally. Closing her eyes, taking a deep breath. Mustering up her courage, she returned his cold gaze with her own. "I apologize for being unreasonable with you," her voice gave a quiver at the end. As soon as the words left her lips, relief washed over her.

"I apologize for threatening you," Ganon responded after a pause.

His apology caught her off-guard. Taking a step back, she felt her knee collapse under her. He grabbed one of her arms, and helped her straighten up. Zelda felt her face heat up as she shook off his arm. Cautiously, he released her, expecting her to fall down again.

"Will you be able to make it back to your room?"

Zelda grabbed her sword and sheathed it. Her legs were shaking, coinciding with the few steps she took, but she was determined to try and hide further weakness in front of Ganon. In that moment, she realized she felt as if she were in the presence of a king. Before, she had never noticed how he carried himself with confidence and his words were carefully articulated.

"Before you go back, we should discuss how you are going to obtain the master sword, Zelda."

"We can't do this tomorrow? It's late."

"I would rather give you more time to think about the task at hand. Then, if you approve, we can depart tomorrow," his voice showed a hint of warmth.

"Then, I would like to have this discussion someplace with a seat," she said.

Ganon led her back into the castle through a long dark hall. The castle seemed to only have long dark hallways, she thought. As they walked, she felt a heavy weight lifting from her shoulders. She was happy that they apologized. Even if the apologies sounded deceitful, she knew they were true. This change in attitude would be permanent, she hoped.

"If you didn't mean your threats, then why did you make them, Ganon?"

"They are… Instinctive. It is odd to want to both kill you and be your ally. Regardless, I will not kill you."

"That doesn't make me feel any better. You still want to kill me."

"All you need to know is that I will not kill you, no matter the circumstances we find ourselves in."

Ganon turned to a door that was in the middle of the long, dark hallway. Opening it, Zelda saw a luxurious sitting room. It had three magnificent chairs, fluffy pillows on each piece of furniture, and two couches, which looked as though they would hug every inch of her. The pieces were circled around a large fireplace that gave the room a source of warm light. He took a seat in an armchair, and she sat on the couch.

Ganon explained to her that they would need to travel back to the forest, and swamp to retrieve pieces they unknowingly left behind. Then, they would travel to the desert from which he was banished to collect the final piece. When they have all of the pieces, then they must go to the Temple of Time. There, they would place the stones in their correct space and open the doors to the sacred room where the master sword resides.

"Where is the Temple of Time?" Zelda asked.

"It's located somewhere far off. The Royal Family kept it a secret from the public and the secret died with them. Theoretically, I should know where it is, but I do not. Only princess Zelda from previous lives would have known. Do you happen to have any recollections of its location from past lives?"

Folding her hands in her lap, she stared into the fire, hoping it would give her the answer he was looking for. In all of the memories she could reach, there was only Link. The few times she did remember the temple, it was in the background of the memory. Any recollection she tried to sift through brought up Link as the focus. When she was tired of seeing Link's warm smile, she sighed and shook her head, feeling disheartened.

"The Link in your memories is not who he is today," Ganon stated firmly.

She glared at him, "Maybe it's because power has contaminated him."

He looked away, into the fire. Briefly, she saw a smirk begin to form. It faded before she could analyze it. "Now that you're aware of what we must do, perhaps you should go and rest," Ganon suggested, looking back at her. His green eyes gave no hint of emotion.

Zelda stood and left, looking back to Ganon once more before leaving. It startled her when he was looking at her. He switched his gaze to the fire and she left. Back in her room, she leaned her sword against the wardrobe, removed her cloak, and climbed into bed.

The following day, she woke and wandered to the dining area. Ganon, Epona, Amelia, and Oroth were all talking happily until she walked in. Taking a seat at the last open spot, she served herself and ate. The conversation carried on.

"…We simply couldn't get them to budge, Ganon. The goblins were so adamant in demanding that they must see you, and only you! So, we decided to use bombs to startle them away," Amelia exclaimed.

"The bombs did what we wanted, but they also destroyed the hideout they had created. We couldn't get back the amulet they stole," Oroth nodded solemnly with his arms crossed.

Ganon chuckled, "It can be replaced. While we are gone, however, I would like you to hire new hands for this dying castle. When I return, I will hopefully be able to see it restored to its former glory. The goblins were a good ally for a time, but I think it would be wise to end it, or at least shoo them away."

The conversation carried on with Ganon explaining some goblin politics and how he became their leader in a way. It was all a misunderstanding, according to him. Zelda believed he did it on purpose. She looked to Epona, since she hadn't heard her speak or laugh yet that morning. Epona was smiling, but not adding to the conversation. When they made eye contact, Epona winked at her.

Together, they packed up the carriage for the journey ahead. It was expected to be short, now that they knew where to go. Epona estimated that the journey would take them four weeks. Oroth and Amelia spent some time showing Zelda how to communicate with them using the harp that Zelda's necklace could turn into. With last minutes words of advice from Amelia and Oroth, they headed off.

"How did you figure out about the harp in the forest, Zelda?" Epona asked.

Zelda explained how she had encountered some traps and eventually found herself in a room with a restless Gohruma. Her babies were ready to attack when her necklace appeared in her hand. As she was fighting the babies and Gohruma was thrashing about, Zelda said the rest was instinct. If she whispered a request from the goddesses, requesting that it become her voice, it became a harp. Learning the melody was harder to comprehend but her hands seemed to have it memorized. When she played, the snakes fell asleep near instantaneously.

Epona expressed interest in the traps, and the fighting. She made fun of Zelda for her sword-fighting skills but also complimented her on the improvements. The conversation then geared toward fighting techniques.

Epona was riding with Zelda and Ganon on the carriage. Ganon sat in the middle of them, as he was the driver, but Zelda and Epona carried their conversations around him until he grunted at them. Eventually, they crawled into the back and continued conversing.

The carriage was old fashioned in the sense of its design. It was a box just tall enough for Ganon to stand in it, and just long enough for him to lay in it comfortably. The driver's seat was wide, giving ample room for the three of them to sit with him; the only problem was him having to sit in the middle. A light metal, made in the Goron's mountain specially for the carriage, covered the two walls that faced away from the trail. Covering the entrance behind the driver's seat and the back were multiple layers of heavy cloth and leather as thick and heavy as their cloaks covered the outermost layer of the carriage.

Ganon brought the carriage to fast halt when he heard a yelp from the back accompanied by a crashing noise. Angrily, he pulled the cloths back behind the driver's seat to see Epona and Zelda both holding fake swords and practically on top of one another. "It's not what it looks like," Epona exclaimed loudly. Ganon rolled his eyes and closed it. Zelda watched him disappear behind the cloth and looked to Epona with a frown.

"I wouldn't have fallen if we weren't in a carriage," Epona shrugged.

"Well, it looks like he's stopping for the night so we can practice some more. Can you get off of me, please?" Zelda asked with annoyance evident in her voice. Epona had fallen on her when the carriage hit a bump. The fall knocked them into the pan and cutlery corner of the carriage.

"You will practice sword fighting with me this time," Ganon's annoyance was evident as he pulled the cloths back once more. This time, he was speaking through the back of the carriage. Pulling the cloths back, his fowl expression made Epona shudder.

Zelda cringed, "I don't want to fight you. You're obviously stronger than me and you're the tallest person I have ever seen," she complained.

He smirked, "That should make it a challenge for you. Epona can give you tips on stance, but I will teach you how to truly defend yourself."

Zelda gulped and looked to Epona, silently demanding help. Epona shrugged and looked back to Ganon, "She won't even be able to land a hit on you."

He didn't respond. Turning away, he left to tend to the duties of setting up the carriage for the evening. Zelda and Epona didn't move to help until he called them from outside requesting assistance. After the horses and carriage were tended to, Ganon brought Zelda further into the meadow, Epona following her. They had stopped for the evening just outside of the forest. This time she didn't need to carve little wooden dolls to preoccupy her, she thought.

Epona stood behind Zelda when Ganon got into his stance. He was wielding a single sword that seemed too small for him. "Are you sure you want to fight me?" Zelda asked once more. She had repeatedly asked him when they were setting up for the evening. Each time, he would chuckle or ignore her. Looking across at one another, it was the first time Epona didn't need to show her the stance to use.


	11. Author's Note

Hello.

I'm a bit of an artist and I have a Tumblr account that I'll be posting drawings to. Feel free to give it a follow.

blog/binarywatermelon

Have a good day!


	12. Chapter 11

Epona contributed little advice to Zelda as she watched Ganon and Zelda spar. She stood with her hands on her hips, watching intently. Sometimes she would make a sound to let Zelda know that she was about to make a bad move or perform it incorrectly. The noises irritated Zelda and after the sixth time Epona made another noise at her, subsequently she turned around and demanded Epona stop. Epona continued the noises, despite Zelda's complaints.

Ganon spent most of his time taunting Zelda, rarely correcting her, but he did use his full force. Each time he struck, he knocked her back with ease. It would've made it easier for Zelda to be angry with him if he seemed as if he were enjoying knocking her around. When she would fall, or showed signs of being hurt, Ganon would stop, and he seemed concerned for the most part.

By the end of the spar, the moon was at its highest point and Zelda was panting, lying on her back on the cool grass. Disappointingly, the bruises and scratches left by Ganon were in nearly the same spots from the sparring match with Epona. When Zelda was ready to move, Epona helped her into the carriage and began treating the bruises and small cuts with an ointment and cold stones. The aid Epona gave her made it only slightly easier to sleep.

As Zelda lay in bed, she pictured and re-pictured every moment of the fight with Ganon. Mentally, she was trying to figure out where there was a misstep. Looking back at it, Epona's noises had helped her pinpoint where her mistakes had occurred. Thinking of it with more rationality, Zelda was excited to have had the chance to spar with Ganon. He was strong and large, but it showed her that she was getting better at defending herself.

Through Ganon's taunting, and his reactions when she would fall, she noticed a pattern in the way he treated her since she was brought to his castle. He would threaten, and treat her no better than a patch of dirt in the ground, but he did show concern for her. In his worry, while he rarely appeared to act on it, she found comfort in it.

As she fell asleep, Zelda remembered when she was being carried out of the swamp on Ganon's back. She remembered how panicked she was when he disappeared and she was left to go through it by herself. It wasn't the end of the world, she thought, but it was better when he was with her. The last feeling she had was pleasant warmth when she was bleeding out from the wound in her leg. She fell asleep with a small smile on her lips.

Overnight, she felt her attitude change toward Ganon. It went from wary, and cautious, to admiration. She admired his swordsmanship and the power he had.

"You're awfully quiet," Epona broke Zelda from her thoughts.

"I keep thinking about fighting Ganon last night. I did better than I thought," Zelda answered honestly. While it was true, it was not the whole truth.

A crooked smile formed as Epona spoke, "You did pretty good. Ganon whooped you, but you were able to defend a few of the spots I hit when we had our match the other day."

"I'm a little proud of that," Zelda had a wide smile with a hint of red across her cheeks.

Epona went on to tell Zelda all of the mistakes, and this time Ganon made sure he kept a somewhat clear area in the back of the carriage for them to practice while he drove. The stops, mainly to give the horses a break, were Zelda's favorite time to try and fight Epona. It wasn't a significant improvement, but each time Zelda tried a stance or move, she found she did it a little bit better.

That evening, they set up to camp once more before they would reach Almeia.

"Ganon, can we practice again?" Zelda asked as she approached him. He was feeding the horses as Epona tended to her own horse.

"I'm surprised you're moving without a problem today," he responded without looking at her.

"Yes, well, I would really like to see more improvement in my skills before we reach the swamp and forest," Zelda said proudly. Epona snickered, causing Zelda to shoot her a glare. Ganon ignored their antics.

"Not tonight. In Almeia, we'll have Epona show us to the ground with the guards reside. You'll practice with them."

"Why not?" Zelda asked, trying to hide the irritation that stirred up.

"Only one day has passed. It takes more than that to improve. I watched you and Epona work together all day," he gave the horse he was feeding one last pat on the neck before facing Zelda. "Your skills will not increase overnight. Epona is doing a well enough job teaching you. We will try again before we reach the swamp. Until then, keep practicing and you will feel better when we fight. Make it a goal."

"I can get better if you fight me every night."

"You will wear yourself out," Ganon said more sternly. He placed his right hand on her left shoulder for a moment, maintaining eye contact as he spoke, "If you wish to have the best results, rest and regain your strength."

Opening her mouth to protest, he moved his hand down to her upper arm. When he squeezed, she let out a yelp of pain. He released her as she reflexively pulled away. He looked at her with raised eyebrows, "Do you see?"

Zelda rubbed her arm where he had touched it, her face heating up. "He's right," Epona nodded in agreement. She gave Zelda a look of understanding, "If you try picking up your sword again today, you'll find you won't be able to keep it steady."

Still rubbing her arm, Zelda looked down. She felt the difference while trying to fight with Epona today, but she didn't realize it was _that_ bad. "When you're determined, you will find that you will go to any length to achieve it. However, this is not a mental test; this is a physical test, and that needs time," Ganon added.

Zelda nodded and proceeded to help Ganon cook after helping Epona with a few other small tasks. She sat beside him, watching him throw meat into a broth he was heating up. Amelia and Oroth packed them broths, meats, fruits, and vegetables, allowing them the luxury of not needing to hunt or scavenge for ingredients. After the second taste test, Zelda scrunched her nose, "You're really bad at this."

He tasted it using the ladle. His face scrunched up like hers, "What did I do?"

"Messed it up, apparently," Epona laughed as she sat down across from them.

"All that time of living with goblins, Amelia, and Oroth, and you can't cook a stew," Zelda muttered, quickly grabbing the spices that were in front of Ganon, "The thing tastes like water and iron."

"Your stew is a thing," Epona giggled. Ganon glared at her, "I did not put grass in it, however." Epona sheepishly glanced at Zelda. The previous night, it was Epona's turn to cook. In trying to "spice things up," she threw grass in with it. Unlike Ganon's cooking, Epona's tasted like high quality food, but it came out looking like a black sludge. When it was Zelda and Ganon traveling, Zelda did the cooking because she didn't trust Ganon; she thought he was going to try and poison her.

Zelda corrected the stew and had Ganon taste it again. When he approved, she patiently showed and explained to him her choice in spices. After they had eaten, Epona asked, "Don't the Gerudo prefer spicy food?"

"They did. I never grew to like it," Ganon responded, looking irritated.

"Too hot for you to handle?" Epona winked at him. He disregarded her flirtatious throw. She wasn't serious. Epona always made remarks like that to him because h would show discomfort by grunting. She found it hilarious.

"No, I preferred the tropical fruits," Ganon responded simply. She rolled her eyes, "He's no fun," she muttered.

"You grew up with all women," Zelda suddenly stated, looking at him in amazement.

"Yes, Gerudo are a female-only civilization," Ganon hesitated before answering. He looked bewildered by Zelda's point.

"Where do the children come from?" Epona asked with the same amazement Zelda displayed.

Ganon was taken aback by the sudden change in subject. He looked between the two, seemingly debating whether or not to answer the question. "Not the way you have observed around your communities," he said slowly with one raised brow.

Zelda and Epona leaned in closer, big, curious eyes waiting for him to continue. His brow furrowed as he spoke, "Gerudo are beings made from an ancient magic. Not that we are any less than the other intelligent beings roaming this world, but they did away with the use of males ages ago. There are no mothers, or fathers, only sisters.

"Koume and Kotake bring five sisters a year, and together, we all raise them from infancy. As for where Koume and Kotake get the children, and whether they are born from either womb, we are unsure. It is simply accepted and held as a belief that they are women's souls who are given a second chance in life. Typically, they remember their past lives before becoming a full-fledged Gerudo by the age of twelve. It is considered treachery to follow your past life.

"Some girls believe that they were taken, or killed, while others were rescued when they committed suicide. It's a dark topic to discuss with them, but it is a subject discussed when a Gerudo reaches a later age."

"With only five additional children a year, how does the population expect to grow?" Zelda asked.

"They do not. We merely regain what we lose. Once in a great while, we would receive six or seven children, however. My belief is that Koume and Kotake like to keep a firm grip on what occurs within the Gerudo strongholds."

"What about you?" Epona chimed in.

"I came like any other child, except that the Gerudo knew I had the destiny to become a great king."

Zelda and Epona asked more questions, but he refused to answer any more. "If I tell more, I feel that it would be revealing more than any non-Gerudo may ever need to know," he said gravely. They respected his silence thereafter and moved on to clean their utensils and dishes. It was Epona's turn to do the cleaning.

Zelda crawled into the carriage from the back to help Ganon load some of the cooking supplies. He stood outside, and handed the objects to her to place further inside the carriage. "You both ask too many questions," Ganon commented as he was handing her unused firewood. "Then stop answering them," Zelda responded simply. "We aren't going to stop asking, though. You know everything about me, and you know everything about Epona's life. There's nothing for you to ask us. You're the only one harboring secrets," she added.

Ganon didn't respond as they finished loading the clean dishes Epona had cleaned. Zelda and Epona went to sleep as they usually did with Ganon sleeping outside. Epona suddenly sat up and looked at Zelda over the pile of supplies between them, "I should probably show you some stretches to do for your arms."

Zelda turned over to look at her, "Does it have to be right now? I'm exhausted."

Epona nodded furiously, "Yes! Absolutely! Otherwise, you might find it hard to move when you get up!"

Epona stood, stepped over the supplies, and sat down across from Zelda. Zelda was sitting up, staring at Epona blankly. "Is this _that_ important?" she asked.

Epona reaffirmed her statement and went ahead to show Zelda the stretches. By the time Zelda was finished with them, her arms were numb. "I don't feel any better," she complained, "I don't feel anything at all!"

"You'll feel it tomorrow," Epona chuckled and smiled warmly. "Speaking of better, I see that you're not as angry with Ganon," she pointed out in a soft voice.

At the mention of him, she felt her stomach do a flip, "I suppose so. Even if I'm friendly toward him, I don't think I could see past the threats he has made to end my life." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Epona leaned closer, "But didn't he apologize?"

"How do you know that?" Zelda asked, alarmed.

"I stuck around after our little skirmish to make sure you would be OK. I didn't want something to happen. I overheard your conversation with Ganon, but I didn't follow you both back into the castle."

"It did seem sincere, but I don't think I'll ever be his 'friend'."

Epona shrugged, "You don't have to be his friend, I guess. As long as you know you can trust each other." Epona stood to go back to her side when Zelda responded quietly.

"I think I would like to be friends," she whispered.

Epona's warm smile graced her freckled face once more, "You're further along than you think. I'm sure." Epona returned to her bed and Zelda fell asleep shortly after she found a comfortable spot.

Goosebumps formed on her skin as a cold sensation gently glided along her skin starting from her chin to her left shoulder. Shuddering, Zelda turned her head to see what was causing her discomfort. A cold hand was firmly gripping her shoulder, startling her. Roughly, her other shoulder was painfully grabbed. Looking straight ahead, she saw Link staring into her fearful eyes. Zelda tried to move her lips to yell at him to get off of her, but her lips wouldn't part.

"That's right, you can't call for your _friends_," Link taunted. "Before I leave tonight you will vow that you will fulfill what I need you to do," he whispered with a smirk.

Shaking her head, she turned away, staring at the carriage wall. Pulling away, he chuckled, "Although, it technically wouldn't be you vowing."

Zelda's stomach did a backflip as she continued to try and move. Again, like her last "dream" with him, she was unable to move. She glared at him from the corner of her eye. "Don't be so angry. You want this too, whether you know it or not," he laughed. He leaned in toward her. To her dismay, reflexively, she turned her head toward him to protest.

Their lips locked. Zelda scrunched her face in disgust. When she tried to turn away, his cold hands moved to her cheeks. Her eyes tightly closed in an attempt to block out the event. When he pulled away, she wished her looks had the power to murder him. "There you go," he said softly.

It was the first time Zelda noticed his green skin. It was a trait usually associated with Ganon. His silver-blond hair and red eyes seemed more vibrant against his deep green skin. "I look forward to the day we rule over Hyrule together," he said warmly as he dissipated.

Sitting up, she placed her own hands over where he had touched. Shuddering, she held herself for a moment and tried to work her sore muscles. Taking a deep breath, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and crawled out of the carriage. Surprisingly, Ganon was still sound asleep. He was turned away from the carriage, so Zelda couldn't see his face, but the even rise and fall of his torso told her he was still in a deep sleep.

The sun was only just beginning to rise, and the brisk night air bit her as she quickly threw her cloak on. As Epona and Ganon slept, she began packing the carriage. When they woke, most items were packed and Zelda was tending to the horses. They set out shortly after waking.

They reached Almeia by late afternoon. After tending the carriage and horses once more for the stay, Zelda, Ganon and Epona went inside the inn and gathered in one of the rooms. The room was similar to the one Zelda and Ganon had stayed in previously. It had two beds, each with a chest at the end, a long table separating the two beds, and a single window with an oil lantern on the windowsill.

Epona and Zelda took a seat on one bed while Ganon sat on the other. "Tomorrow, we will head toward the swamp, return to rest one night, and then we will travel to the woods. After we return from the woods, I will leave you two to go to the desert," he explained.

"Without you?" Zelda asked. He was taken aback by her response.

"You do not need me to go. We will discuss this later. We can focus on the swamp and woods for now, Zelda."

They agreed to it and decided on sleeping arrangements over dinner in the inn's lobby. Ganon would have a room of his own, and Zelda and Epona would share a room, he declared. Zelda appreciated Ganon's effort to make her feel safe. She held a smile of relief as he told them the room plan. It was then that she noticed Ganon was watching her from the corner of his eye. Whether it was a good or bad omen, she was unsure. He didn't seem to be acting out of the ordinary, thus she decided to brush it off.

Retiring to sleep, Zelda found herself unable to succumb to the sweet allure of slumber. Each time she closed her eyes, she panicked from the fear of Link hovering over her. Finally, she decided to sleep with her sheathed sword by her side. Shortly after bringing it to bed with her, she fell asleep with her left hand resting on it as she lay on her side.


	13. Chapter 12

"…Like a log."

"We need to wake her up."

Ganon's rough voice broke through her sleep. It was too soon to wake up, she thought. Her eyes still burned, and the sun was far too bright. Epona was kneeling in front of Zelda, looking into her squinted eyes.

"Oh, she's up," Epona said cheerfully.

Zelda closed her eyes and pulled the blankets over her head, "Please, just a little bit longer." A quick, strong force pulled her warm blankets from the bed. Curling into a ball, she hugged the warm sheathed blade to herself. Zelda closed her eyes tightly and shivered.

"I know you want to lean how to use the sword, but sleeping with it isn't going to help," Epona laughed hysterically. Ganon, on the other hand, looked gravely concerned.

"Why are you sleeping with your sword?" he asked.

Zelda opened her eyes too quickly, causing them to ache from the bright light of the sun. She looked straight to Ganon. Why she felt the need to hide her encounters with Link in her dreams, she was unsure. Zelda felt guilty when Link touched her even if it was in her mind. She felt as if she were conversing with the enemy.

"Your shoulder," Epona said slowly, pointing to it.

In her sleep, Zelda had gotten tangled up in her shirt just enough to reveal one of her shoulders. Looking down at it she saw the purple, brown, and blue mixture of colors indicating a bruise. Epona's hand touched it before Zelda could hide it. Epona's light touch caused Zelda to wince. Why did the bruises hurt a day later? It didn't hurt yesterday, she thought.

"How did you get that?" Ganon asked. His voice was deep and held a sharp edge to it; he was angry.

"Why are you angry?" Zelda asked hesitantly. Slowly, she released the sheathed blade and pushed it away from her. Carefully sitting up, she felt the ache in her arms for the first time as well, but tried not to let it show in her movements.

"The only person who has reason to harm you is Link. Are you still protecting him?" Ganon asked his question through gritted teeth. He was furious.

Zelda put her hands up defensively, "I would never protect him!"

"How did you get that bruise?"

"I slept on a spoon in the carriage," she looked down at the exposed shoulder and covered it. Epona and Ganon hadn't seen the other shoulder; Zelda assumed there would be a bruise there as well. She felt it was a sufficient excuse for at least one of them. Zelda bit her lip nervously, not wishing to tell Ganon about her dream encounters. How could he help her anyway?

"That looks like a handprint. I'm no fool Zelda. Be honest with me," Ganon spoke deeply still as he dropped the blanket she had been cuddling moments before. He walked to the side of the bed closest to her bruise and moved his hand to pull the cloth down.

Zelda didn't stop him. Thinking it would help to calm him down if he examined it himself, he gently pulled her shirt down over the bruised shoulder he had seen. She looked away, her face heating up.

"That was no spoon," he mumbled, releasing the light fabric. "If you won't tell me, I assume you will in your own time. Until then, I advise you not to meet with Link, no matter how you feel about him," Ganon urged.

Zelda watched him as he slowly pulled away from her. While his voice was angry, his expression looked… Sad? She arched an eyebrow in confusion as he took a step toward the door, "I will meet you and Epona downstairs. Prepare yourself to head into the swamp. If we get back early enough, then you can have your sparring match with the guards in Almeia."

He left after his statement with his eyes closed, clearly downtrodden. Epona let a long, sad "oh" escape her lips as she stared at the door. "You made him sad," she exclaimed. Epona looked to Zelda, her eyes wide and mouth agape, "Why didn't you just tell him how you get the bruise?"

"I told you. I slept on a spoon," Zelda practically growled.

"You… You seriously think I would believe that?" Epona scoffed, "You're a terrible liar." Her voice behaved like a cat; it was low, but it was enticing, urging Zelda to pour her guts out to her. Zelda shook her head, looked to the ceiling and groaned, "I'm not lying."

Epona threw her hands in the air, "Alrighty then. I'm leaving too. I'll meet you downstairs, _liar_." Zelda glared at Epona as she left.

Pouting, Zelda put on her heroic green tunic. As she was putting it on, the bracelet she had bought from the old woman some time ago fell out of a pocket. Curious, Zelda picked it up and examined it. It was nothing special, she thought. It was a slightly thick silver chain that fit Zelda's wrist perfectly. Putting it on, she admired it. On her pale, small right wrist, it dangled loosely. Bringing it to her lips, she closed her eyes and said a prayer to goddesses.

Downstairs, she joined Ganon and Epona. Neither spoke to her as they walked to the swamp. Even as they left the town, there were no words exchanged. "Why are we not talking?" Zelda complained loudly. Epona and Ganon were walking side-by-side, leaving Zelda behind them on the path. They both stopped and turned to look at her. They both looked terribly irritated.

"I'm just asking!" Zelda exclaimed defensively.

"There is nothing to talk about," Ganon responded. He turned away and continued walking. Epona's eye followed him briefly before she strolled beside him once more. Zelda stood dumbfounded. Clenching her fists, her frown deepened. Groaning, she followed them.

Late afternoon was turning to evening as they entered the swamp. It wasn't as dark and creepy as Zelda remembered. The swamp chirped and made odd gurgling noises as they passed through it. Entering the fog, Zelda placed a hand over her racing heart.

The sound of a footstep behind her caused her to turn around. She blinked, glancing about fervently, trying to pinpoint where the step had come from. Looking over her shoulder, hoping to find Ganon and Epona waiting, she saw only white fog. "Epona, Ganon, please wait," she called out into the fog. There was no response.

Zelda decided to ignore the footstep and ran in the direction Ganon and Epona were headed in. She was forced to stop when she hit Ganon's back and bounced backwards. Ganon was stopped, looking around cautiously, "This fog has got to go," he growled, ignoring Zelda. Epona looked to him, her hands on her armored hips under the cloak, "And how are we going to do that?"

Ganon lifted his hands, palms facing upward. The cloak fell to his elbows as he raised his arms higher. When he stopped, black energy balls were floating above each hand. Bringing his hands down slowly, the balls whizzed away, heading deeper into the fog. Epona helped Zelda up as they waited for a change to occur in the fog.

Just as Epona was about to complain, the fog cleared. Farther ahead, the two energy blasts were circling one another quickly enough to create a strong air current. The wind was heavy enough to force Zelda to stumble backwards. She reached her hands out, holding tightly to Ganon's cloak, shielding herself from the wind.

The wind slowly died down, and the dark energy disappeared. "Now we can look around," Ganon mumbled. The fog was moving back in, but it was slow. Epona, Zelda, and Ganon left the trail and began searching in the mud for a possible entrance.

"It was around here somewhere that I fell," Zelda pointed out to them. "That is, assuming that the fog remains in the same place," she added as she stomped in a patch of mud. Disappointed with the lack of results, she moved on to another patch.

"I found it," Epona called out. Ganon and Zelda quickly flocked to Epona. She point to a tree, "It's there." Her smile was smug as she placed her hands on her hips, awaiting praise.

Behind the tree was a muddy stairwell. It was dark, but looking into the darkness, far below, there was a dim light at what appeared to be the bottom. They slowly trekked down the stairs, occasionally slipping on the slimy mud. On the last two steps, Epona had slipped and fell to the bottom. The same as when Zelda had fallen through the mud the first time in the swamp, it was a long, narrow, dimly lit hallway. The torches on the wall were small and gave just enough light to make out the dark ground.

Unafraid of any traps that might be ahead, Ganon walked a considerable distance in front of Zelda and Epona. After walking for what seemed like hours, they reached the door at the end of the hallway. Ganon pushed it open with almost no effort. Upon entering, Zelda peered over the edge of the slab of land they stood on. The water was no longer black as she had first observed; it was clear and at the very bottom of the deep pool, she saw the creature with the narrow mouth. It wasn't moving.

"It's hurt," Zelda said softly as she kneeled down, looking more closely. When Zelda was in the swamp temple for the first time, she had no idea how deep the pool was because of the blackness. With clear waters, the bottom looked like a distant, sandy cloud.

Ganon kneeled beside her, "What is it?"

"I'm not sure. It was the only creature I had come into contact with that didn't hurt me," she explained. Zelda reached to put a hand in the pool.

Epona snatched her wrist away, "Don't do that! You don't know what that thing will do to you!"

"If it wanted to harm me, it would've done so long ago," Zelda explained angrily, snatching her wrist back. "When I first came here, it was being fed through a spot in the ceiling. In that room over there, it jumped from the solid ground, grabbed the fish and left. I was nervous to walk across the room so I stuck to the sides. It didn't attack me," she explained.

"It looks really small," Epona stated, as she tilted her head and squinted her brown eyes.

"It's a very deep pond," Ganon frowned. "Now that we are here, we must figure out where the stone is."

"Why would it be here and not in the room where we found Link?" Zelda asked, looking up at him as he stood.

"That room collapsed shortly after we left."

"It is getting late, so why don't we set up our bags, eat something and figure this out," Ganon suggested. They had carried sleeping bags, and food with them just in case they needed one more day to find what they needed in the swamp.

The small slab of land was just big enough for all three to comfortably fit a small fire and lay their sleeping bags around it. "Do you think the stone is in that fish's belly?" Epona asked as she slurped her soup. "Perhaps," Ganon responded. His nonchalant response gave Zelda the clue that he wasn't paying attention to them.

"Maybe we should just focus on it tomorrow. Epona, will you practice with me? I rested yesterday."

"Only if you tell me where that bruise came from," Epona responded coolly.

Zelda glanced to Ganon. He was eating his soup with a content expression. He wasn't listening, she concluded. "I would rather not. I'll tell you when I'm ready. Until then, please practice with me more," she pleaded.

Epona rolled her eyes. Zelda smiled excitedly and grabbed her sword. Hopping onto the first stone pillar sticking out from the pool, she looked over her shoulder at Epona. Epona had a cunning smirk, "How about we fight on these pillars?"

Zelda turned on her heel, dumbfounded. The pillars were just large enough for both feet to fit on one. They were circular with edges that showed the age of the stone. "I don't think I'm skilled enough for that," Zelda said.

"Nonsense! Not that it'll be easy, but it will help with your balance!"

Before Zelda could respond, Epona ran to strike her. In an effort to avoid it, Zelda hopped backwards, conveniently landing on the next pillar. One foot landed in the middle, but when she tried to put the other on the pillar, it slipped. Flailing her arms, she managed to center herself. Pulling her sword out, she glared at Epona, "That was unfair. I wasn't ready."

"Is anyone ever _really_ prepared to be attacked?" Epona laughed. The elegance Epona held as she stood caught Zelda's eyes. Her admiration toward Epona bubbled back to the surface; she wanted to be able to fight just as well Epona. When she fought Zelda, she was beautiful and Zelda wanted to be that beautiful too.

As Zelda practiced, Epona helped fix her posture and taught her to hold the sword in certain positions to aid the balancing. Epona's strikes were far and few, but when she did attack, Zelda was able to counter. Her skills were getting better and Epona was beginning to praise her. At the same time, when Zelda made a mistake, Epona reminded her, "I've shown you that multiple times. Make sure you practice it if you don't get it yet."

When Zelda reached the platform at the far end of the room, she switched from defensive to offensive. She swung at Epona and, through her movements, Zelda was able to feel her improvement. Balancing wasn't as difficult, and her attacks were confident.

When they reached the lily pad in the center, Epona lost her footing and fell backward. Zelda took the opportunity to bring her blade to Epona's neck. Epona looked up to Zelda, confused and startled. Zelda giggled, and as she opened her mouth to speak, a dizzy spell consumed her. Stumbling, she fell sideways off of the lily pad. As she hit the water, she closed her eyes, but her head was still spinning.

"Calm down," a warm voice echoed in her dark mind. It was a woman's voice.

Zelda tried to respond, but nothing came from her open mouth. Bringing her hands to her throat, she realized she was not awake. "Do not worry, elf," it spoke. A warm, calming sensation took over her body, easing her panic.

Looking at her hands, they were glowing a soothing blue color. Closing her eyes, she basked in the warmth that seemed to originate from her heart. "Yes, calm yourself. I will not harm you. I know why you have come. You are the hero this time," it said happily. Folding her hands on her belly, Zelda tilted her chin upward, "I do not want to be," she said quietly.

"Here, only your deepest thoughts will pass those weary lips. Perhaps, I should also tell you that I know why you do not bear courage."

"I gave it to the man I love," Zelda mumbled. The warmth intensified, making her feel relieved.

"That is not the love that you want, elf. Your love comes from eons ago, and now that has changed. He is your enemy, you must not love him," it purred.

"How could I not love him, knowing everything he has done for me and the times we have shared. Our descendants in those lives… Do those times mean nothing to him? Should I toss them away?"

"Do not be so dramatic, child! You have only used a small fraction of your life."

Finally, Zelda opened her eyes. They were heavy as she gazed upon the bluish darkness. "Where are you?" she mumbled.

"Open your eyes, Zelda."

Zelda felt a rush of cold and pain wash over her. Panicking, her eyes flung open searching for the source of discomfort. She was sitting up on the lily pad in the center of the room. Ahead of her was the creature was dwelling at the bottom of the pond. It was a large, fearsome creature that was several times larger than her. Blinking away the water in her eyes, she whispered, "Rutela."

"Yes," she responded. Her horrendous appearance morphed into the beautiful Zora well known from the water creatures' lore. "I cannot support your journey, young Zelda. I see what you are not telling your comrades," she said sadly. Rutela sat on the side of the lily pad in front of Zelda, her finned legs still in the pool.

"Your heart is not fully aligned with your goals," she explained. Rutela looked like a beautiful, blue-white human. Her scales sparkled in the dim torchlight, and her fins fit her like a sheer gown. She had a woman's body: long legs, wide hips, small waist, and strong arms. Her face was rectangular, with high cheekbones and fins on her head that grew in the shape of wavy, blue hair. Rutela was the perfect depiction of royalty both physically and in respect to her mannerisms.

"How can I convince you?" Zelda pleaded. She didn't want to disappoint Ganon even more than she already had.

Rutela and Zelda had a staring contest briefly before she replied, "It is not a matter of convincing. You must do away with that shadow in your heart, and then I will give this to you." Lifting an open hand, the water spiritual stone appeared before her. It was small, and fit perfectly in the palm of Rutela's hand.

"How do I get rid of it?"

"Reconciliation."

Rutela's kind smile made Zelda feel uncomfortable. Zelda looked over to Ganon and Epona. She hadn't realized how terrified they appeared. Epona was panting, her eyes wide with panic as Ganon stood with his hands balled into large fists, ready to fight. He didn't look angry, but his soft expression as he gazed at Rutela told Zelda he knew of her. Zelda look back to Rutela, "I don't want them to worry. They're just dreams."

"Dreams only leave bruises in your heart."

"I don't know how that's happening," Zelda panicked.

Rutela's eyes widened, "That is more of a reason to tell them." Her voice gave a sense of urgency. "Zelda, they are your comrades for this journey. Why do you not trust them?"

"They weren't there before the journey, and they won't be there after the journey."

Rutela closed her eyes and shook her head slowly, "You will not go far if you do not trust them."

"I know," Zelda exclaimed. "I don't know how to trust them," she said slowly, realizing the problem started with herself. It was hard to see past Ganon threatening her, but she knew the problem was rooted to her mistrust of others in general. Frustrated, Zelda begged Rutela, "Please, I need to get the master sword so that we can stop Link."

Rutela placed her pointer finger over Zelda's heart, "You do not wish to stop him. Therefore, you will not stop him." She chuckled at Zelda's bewildered expression, "I see that you truly do wish to try and stop him, but you must know that he truly threatening you in those dreams. Sleep tonight. Tomorrow, I will test you."

Rutela disappeared into the water, morphing into her dreadful fish form. She swam to the bottom and lay still. Zelda turned to Ganon and Epona again. They were standing on the slab of land by the door they had entered through. Zelda joined them and told them what Rutela said.

"She won't give you the stone because you have trust issues?" Epona asked incredulously. "Why do you still have this problem with us?" she continued.

"I feel safe with you guys but…"

"But what?" Ganon interrupted. Zelda jumped. He hadn't spoken to her since they had arrived.

"I want to, I really do! I don't know how!"

"Well, forcing you isn't going to work, obviously. I'm not sure how we can get you to trust us though," Epona said hesitantly.

"I do not think trust is the problem," Ganon said thoughtfully, his right hand stroking his flaming red beard. Humming, he hesitated before continuing, "There is something else. You feel safe and secure around us, and that is a subconscious indicator of trust. What is holding you back? Does it have to do with where that bruise came from?"

Zelda was surprised by his question, "I'm not sure why, but perhaps."

"Tonight, Epona and I will stay up and see what happens to you while you sleep. If something happens, we will try to wake you. If not, then there is something else. We'll figure this out," he mumbled more to himself than her.

The remaining few hours, Ganon and Epona talked amongst themselves as Zelda drifted off to sleep. She didn't want Link to come and wake her again. While they were distracted, Zelda grabbed her sheathed sword and slept with it close to her chest, grateful that she didn't lose it in the pool. Rolling onto her back, she drifted into deep slumber.

"They aren't going to help you," Link whispered in her ear. Zelda closed her eyes more tightly, using the logic that if she couldn't see him, he would not be able to do her harm.

It didn't work. He grabbed her by her bruised shoulders and lifted her into a seated position. Her eyes jerked open to meet his red orbs. "Release me," Zelda said fiercely.

"Or what? I put you into a sleep paralysis coma whenever I meet you. You can't _do_ anything."

"You know that Ganon and Epona are watching me, yet you still come? Why is that? Do you want to be caught?"

"Why are you not telling them, sweet princess?"

"I'm not a princess!" Zelda growled.

"You're _my_ princess," Link pulled her closer and pecked her nose lovingly. "I'll release you for now. But don't worry, I'll be back."

Zelda closed her eyes and woke up from the disturbed sleep. Rubbing her shoulders, she sat up and saw Ganon sitting against the door, sleeping. Smiling wearily, she averted her gaze to Epona, who lay curled up in her sleeping bag. They were both sound asleep. Zelda stood and walked to the lily pad. Quietly, she first brought her legs into the water, and then her whole body. It was chilly water that gave her goose bumps as it touched her skin.

Swimming downward, Zelda mentally called out for Rutela. When Rutela answered, she turned into her Zora form, looking up to Zelda as she swam. Rutela extended her arms outward, as if welcoming Zelda into a hug, and closed her eyes. A familiar soft blue light shined from her chest, slowly engulfing the area.

"You are not truly free from him, but I see that you are more willing to trust your comrades now. Whatever compelled your sudden shift in heart, I hope it remains in you for the remainder of your life," Rutela said softly through Zelda's mind.

Zelda closed her eyes, and accepting the light as it approached. She stopped swimming and her body hovered in the water momentarily before the cool water seemed to separate from her body.

It felt as if she wasn't in the water any more and she could breathe. It wasn't the stale, and humid air of the swamp, however, it was crisp and clean. The new air made Zelda feel rejuvenated. "Hero, you would be wise to cherish the trust your comrades are trying to earn. Tell them about Link. Tell them about the village. Ganon claims to know more than he does. Epona puts on a brave face. Just like you, they have pieces they are trying to put back together," Rutela said in her soft, soothing voice.

Zelda smiled in response. Rutela laughed, "This is the last we shall see of each other. I am merely the physical embodiment of the stone. Face this test, and it will be yours to present to the master sword."

Zelda opened her eyes to find the darkness she was in before. Her skin held the same soft blue glow. Looking around, she expected to see something, anything, which would tell her where to go. Zelda sighed. The puzzles she faced in each step of her journey were becoming tiresome, she thought. With nothing better to do, she swam straight.

A small light shone far ahead of her. Swimming more quickly, she closed in on it. Getting closer, she heard laughter coming from it. The small light did not grow in size, but instead seemed to shrink as the sound grew louder with each kick. Reaching her hand out, she touched the small golden orb.

Her stomach sank as if she were falling. The orb expanded into a massive blue ocean. The darkness that surrounded her became a dark blue, and she was wrapped in a bubble. The water didn't touch her skin, and she had no trouble breathing.

The laughter came from behind her, and then beside her. Each time, she turned her head to where she thought the sound was coming from until a pale blue orb appeared no further than an inch from her face. Yelling out, she scrambled backwards in the water, "What are you?"

It giggled, but did not respond to her. It circled her and drifted ahead. It looped around continuously until Zelda picked up the hint to follow it. It felt like they swam for days until a giant stone slab appeared in the distance. As they approached it, she saw the patterns etched into it. They were faded, like the statues in Ganon's castle. Some words were unreadable, leaving nothing but little indents. Looking the stone up and down, she saw no end to it in either direction.

The orb stopped suddenly and changed into the shape of a person. It glowed with the same soft, pale blue light she did. When it turned around, she saw that the orb took the shape of Ganon. His eyes were all white, and his expression was stern. "Why are you here?" Zelda asked softly, but found that her voice did not work. Blue Ganon smiled and looked to the stone slab.

Zelda wanted to ask what she had to do, but she felt the familiar warmth in her pocket. Pulling out her necklace, she brought it to her lips, closed her eyes, and mouthed her prayer as she thought of it. In a golden glow, it morphed into the golden harp. Holding it, she looked to Ganon expectantly.

When Zelda was in the forest and had to play a melody, she knew which to play. When it was time to use the harp, it was a strong feeling that overwhelmed her until her fingers finished the melody. She didn't know what to play, or why, but she knew somehow.

Ganon drifted close to her and placed a hand over hers on the harp. Closing his eyes, he hummed in a soft, soothing voice that did not belong to the Ganon she knew. Regardless, she followed the hum with the harp. As it picked up, Zelda began to sway with it. She felt Ganon's hand leave, and watched him drift back to the stone as she continued playing.

"Zelda," a deep voice resounded within her mind, "This is an ancient place. Link tainted it when he invaded the swamp. We successfully hid from him, but he left a scar. It must be healed, hero."

Zelda continued to play as she drifted closer to the stone slab. Each chiseled word, faded or not, glowed. Her mind was in a comatose state as she played, numbing her to the surroundings. Closing her eyes, she forgot where she was and fell into a blissful sleep when the song was finished.

"Yes, it is truly peace that you seek," the deep voice said, "But there is much work to do before that point is to come. After cleansing our waters, you must venture to the forest and then the desert. The forest will test your faith, and the desert will test your strength as we have tested your mentality. We will grant you the true power of the spiritual stone. We shall grant you a sliver of wisdom from the sacred realm."

Zelda woke from her sleep and felt her body cramp. It was uncomfortable, but not painful, as she was forced to watch the world around fade into blackness. As soon as she blinked, she was back in the swamp. The harp had returned to the form of the necklace in the palm of her hand. Looking around, she tried to find Rutela. Giving up her search in the now empty pool, she swam back to the surface. Ganon and Epona were still sound asleep.

Emerging from the water, she realized she had not held her breath under the water. Looking down at herself, she saw a blue tunic. When Zelda had first crawled into the water, she was wearing only her sheer under-armor clothing. In the stories of the hero, he would sometimes use a blue tunic enchanted by the Zora that granted him the ability to breathe underwater. The Zora's tunic was destroyed when he would die, ensuring that it would not be used with ill intention.

A smile crept onto her lips as she admired the shining blue, glittering in the dim light. Even after being in the water for so long, she didn't have a drop of water any where on her the moment she left the water. Yawning, she decided it would be best to join Ganon and Epona. In the morning, she would tell them what happened and everything about Link, she promised.


	14. Chapter 13

"You were sleeping!" Ganon's voice boomed. It had startled Zelda, forcing her to stir from her sleep. Sitting up slowly, she reached up to rub her eyes and yawned.

"I thought you were going to watch her first!" Epona exclaimed defensively.

The two continued to bicker about who was supposed to watch Zelda sleep. Zelda stood, stretched, and stiffly jumped across the pond to the lily pad in the center. Reaching into her pocket, she took out the folded piece of paper. When she was sleeping, she had a dream about the paper. Rutela spoke a few words to her, letting her know that the spiritual stone was not the only piece she needed to leave with. The piece of paper had its own importance too, Rutela had told her.

Crouching, Zelda flattened the piece of paper and stared at it. Rubbing one eye, she examined the new picture. Previously, it was the stone, but now it held a new object. However, Zelda couldn't tell what it was picturing for the life of her. It was a bunch of black swirls. Looking over her shoulder, she shouted back toward the bickering Ganon and Epona, "Guys, I can't figure this one out."

"Did you have any problems last night?" Epona asked eagerly as she gracefully landed beside Zelda. Ganon remained at the slab of land, scowling at the fire he started.

"I'll tell you later. Rutela talked to me in my dream last night. She said that we need something else here and that the paper would tell me. But…" Zelda frowned at the piece of paper. "It's not showing anything but these lines," she said quietly.

Epona crouched beside Zelda and examined the paper, humming quietly. "What else could possibly be here?" she asked thoughtfully.

Reaching into her pocket, Zelda pulled out the necklace and placed it in the center of the piece of paper. She did so because of an odd pull that seemed to resonate from the necklace. Turns out, it was the correct thing to do. The paper wrapped around the necklace, like a set of hungry lips wrapping around a ripe apple. The paper disappeared, but it turned the necklace into a different shape. The necklace had become a flute.

"You didn't need help with it," Epona pouted. "You knew exactly what to do," she huffed and stood up.

"It was more of a feeling I suddenly had," Zelda looked up at her friends with a frown. Looking back to the flute, she handled it gently as she stood holding it gently. It was light and felt as if it would break if a strong gust of wind touched it. Bringing it to her lips, she began to play the first melody that came to mind. When she was finished, she looked back to Epona and then to Ganon.

They were both staring at her, somewhat confused. "What?" she asked. As if answering her question, the temple began to rumble. The damp darkness faded as the walls began to glow. Through the darkness, the small fragments of light shined like stars in the evening sky. The pool of water was suddenly filled with flora of every color.

The vast array of flowers reminded Zelda of the wedding ceremonies that the wood elves used to celebrate a couple forming. The entire ground of the village would be covered with flowers gathered from all over the forest. The evening before, the bride's family would lay down the flowers, the entire village would work together to sweep the rocks out of the way, symbolizing that the man and woman getting married would be starting together with no baggage. The only difference was the starry-like ceiling instead of the dusty sunlight filtering through tall trees.

Zelda's eyes were wide with awe as she admired the flowers in varying shades of blue, red, yellow, and orange. Before her eyes, lush, green vines scaled the muddy temple walls, working through the maze of glowing starlight on the ceiling. All of the vines joined together at the very top, spiraling and climbing downward slightly. They created a green chandelier-like shape. Just as quickly as the vines had appeared, white flowers blossomed and stunningly bloomed. In the center of the white flowers were softly glowing yellow orbs that resembled little suns.

Finally, the excessive plant growth ceased, and the soft rumbling gradually decayed. Zelda turned to look at Epona and Ganon once more. Her stomach sank as she peered over the edge of the lily pad, or rather, what _was_ the lily pad. The lily pad grew several feet into the air. The platform remained on top, however the stem that had emerged from the water was twisted and had several pieces branching off with leaves attached.

"What did you do?" Epona asked shakily. Zelda looked to her, concerned. Zelda had never had a phobia like others. Some would fear heights, bugs, darkness, but she never had. As a result, sometimes the other children would cling to her, thinking she was simply brave enough to face it, rather than fear it. The look in Epona's eyes reminded Zelda of that fear the children harbored.

"You ride a horse and you're scared of heights?" Zelda asked in a monotonous voice.

Epona slowly got to her knees and sat down on the lily pad, "Yes, they terrify me. At least on Muntun I know he'll protect me!"

Zelda looking over the edge, then back to Epona, "There is still water right below us. It's plenty deep enough for a dive. Just close your eyes and I'll push you off," Zelda suggested cheerily. It was nice to feel like she had the upper hand for once, thought Zelda.

"You're not seriously thinking of just pushing me off?" Epona sounded incredulous. Each passing moment, Epona's face paled and her teeth were chattering, from nerves Zelda assumed.

"Don't make me force you. Just close your eyes. You can trust me to guide you," Zelda smiled warmly. It was fun to tease Epona for a moment, but seeing how the fear was affecting her, it made Zelda feel bad.

Epona responded by closing her eyes tightly. Stretching her hands out toward Zelda, Zelda took that as the hint to guide her. As gently and slowly as she could, Zelda began pulling Epona to her feet and guiding her to edge of the lily pad. Feeling the usually tough, and rugged Epona trembling like a frightened child made Zelda nervous. It reminded her that Epona was not invincible, as Zelda had previously thought.

Zelda finally got to a point where she could push Epona off. Whispering into her ear, Zelda described the position she would need to stay in to ensure that no giant leaves would smack her. Nodding, Epona was pushed off the edge. Epona must have opened her eyes, because she screamed the whole way down, following by the sound of breaking water. Zelda winced and looked over the edge eagerly to see Epona rising from the water frantically. When they locked eyes, Epona gave her a nervous smile. Zelda returned the smile.

She followed after Epona and they soon joined Ganon on the slab of land. He looked pale as well. His green eyes were grim and his flaming hair seemed to add to the flame in his eyes. He was furious. But why? Zelda had done nothing wrong.

"I believe you owe us an explanation for a few things," Ganon said hoarsely.

"Why do you look so angry?" Zelda asked, feeling nervous under his intense gaze.

"I'll explain after you do," he said softly.

Zelda gulped and nodded. She began with Link visiting her in her dreams. At first, she had thought that was all they were – dreams. However, that was proven to be wrong as soon as she saw her bruises. She told Epona and Ganon about the threats and how Link wanted her to kill Ganon. Zelda felt her heart break as she spoke. Somewhere in her heart, she still felt that awkward attachment to Link, but she had to keep telling herself that he was not who she thought he was.

When there were no more questions about Link, she moved on to talk about her meeting with Rutela as they had slept. In her explanation, she made sure to quote the warnings as best she could, and explain why she was wearing the blue hero's tunic instead of the forest green. Also, to the best of her ability, she tried to describe the dream where Rutela was informing her about the paper, and her impulse to use the necklace and play the flute.

"Rutela had told me that the necklace is supposed to turn into three instruments. It will become a harp, flute, and war horn when it needs to," Zelda explained.

Ganon was running his fingers through his beard as he spoke, "It looks like they'll relate to the areas we're going to. The forest awakened the harp, and the swamp awakened the flute. That leaves the desert with the war horn. Fitting, I suppose."

"Is that everything?" Epona asked Zelda. Seeing the color back in Epona's curious face made Zelda relieved.

Zelda nodded, "That's all I have to tell you both. Ganon, can you tell me why you were so angry?" Zelda could tell that the sudden shift in topics made Ganon uncomfortable.

"How about we start packing, and I'll tell you on our way back to Almeia," he proposed. It seemed as if he was trying to figure out how to put his emotions into words.

Agreeing with him, they packed their belongings and left the swamp through the tunnel. It was no longer a dimly lit, damp, dark tunnel, but it was decorated with the same starry lights in the temple room they had just left. It was the first time Zelda noticed that Ganon barely fit in the tunnel. If he were even an inch taller, his head would be scraping against the muddy ceiling.

When they reached the cold winter air, Zelda shivered and held herself under the heavy cloak. "Will you tell us now?" she asked.

Ganon noticed her shivers and arched an eyebrow. "Do you need another cloak?" he asked, his voice showing his concern through his puzzled expression. Zelda smiled at him and shook her head slowly. When she looked back at him, she noticed he was looking away with a deep frown.

"The melody you played is a painful one for my past lives," he began, walking beside Zelda. Epona was just ahead of them, listening intently as far as Zelda could tell because she wasn't talking. "When you were in the forest, you played the simple, fun tune that the hero learned from the Kokiri. But, in the swamp, you played a melody sacred to the Royal Family. Impa usually taught it to you when you were a child, Zelda. In my past lives it gave me much grief. When I heard you play it, it made me… _angry_," he spoke softly.

"That's not your fault," Epona said in a voice just as gentle as his. "You have memories filled with lust for power and revenge. Your reaction would be expected," she reasoned, turning so that the profile of her face was seen. Her visible brown eye was fixed on Ganon.

Zelda nodded, "Epona is right."

Ganon shook his head, "I'm afraid that the song has a terrible grip on my temper. I hope we do not need to use it again."

Zelda frowned, looking at Ganon through the corner of her eye. Looking down, she agreed with him silently. If the song made him that angry, she wondered if it might take a toll on their journey down the line.

The rest of the walk back to Almeia was silent as Ganon brooded and Epona was humming. The humming made Zelda relax because Epona's voice was soft and pleasant on her pointed ears. Glancing at Ganon, it was the first time she noticed that his ears were not like that of a human. His ears were slightly pointed, but not as long as a wood elf's ear.

Ganon's eye caught hers and they stared at one another for a moment. His frown deepened, "Why are you staring at me?"

Zelda's lips curled into a half-smile, "I just noticed that you have pointed ears, like mine."

Ganon grunted and faced forward again. Zelda frowned; she was disappointed that he didn't say anything in response. Looking to the ground, she closed her eyes and listened to Epona's peaceful humming. It was a melody that was familiar to Zelda. The memory that accompanied it was the hero playing it with an instrument to call his faithful companion to him. She remembered hearing the tale of Link learning the song through a kind farm girl.

The humming stopped once they reached the inn. Epona separated from them to go and eat her evening meal with her mother. Watching Epona leave made Zelda realize that she didn't really want to be alone with Ganon. Looking down, Zelda felt her cheeks heat up.

Ganon waved Epona off and headed inside to the inn's lobby, oblivious to her discomfort. As Zelda entered the inn after him, she felt a pleasant warmth chase the shiver from her bones. Sighing with relief, she closed her eyes and indulged in the sweet smell of bread wafting through the lobby. Ganon took a seat on one side of a sofa directly across from the nearest fireplace. Zelda took a seat on the opposite side of the sofa, curling her legs so that she was sitting on one of them, closing her eyes and leaning her head back, "The warmth feels nice."

"Winter did creep up on us," Ganon's voice was deep, and trailed off. He was deep in thought again. Zelda stared at him a moment longer before her eyes slowly closed.

**Ganon**

His left hand was stroking his beard. Grimacing, he realized he would need to trim it in a day or so. The warmth his facial hair gave him in the cold months would give him some comfort, he thought. Sighing, he looked into the fire, still playing with the hairs that matched the glowing flame.

The next destination would be the forest. However, that wasn't what was troubling him. His thoughts were focused on Zelda talking about Link. There was no way Link would conveniently stop visiting her because she requested it. There was something that was keeping them connected. Yet, he knew only Zelda could herself with that. He could not enter her mind and force Link out.

Looking around the lobby, he saw that there were only a few other travellers present. They were on the other side. It was quiet compared to the usual bustle of the market travelers. He assuming it was the Resting Day of the week. It was only fair to give the hard working merchants a day off, he thought. Then, his eyes fell on Zelda. She was sleeping, based on the even rise and fall of her chest. The thick cloak was draped over her, her legs bent and to her left side. It looked uncomfortable; he was unsure how she was able to sleep in such a position.

Grunting, he realized he would have to carry her to the room. Returning to his thoughts, he folded his arms and thought of when they would be going to the desert. He felt conflicted by the necessity to enter it. He wished to go with them, but he didn't want to forsake the banishment. If Koume or Kotake knew he would return, he would be forced to fight with them. Because they were the teachers for the dark energy manipulation he knew, he did not wish to face them. Any techniques he knew, he had learned from them. His time away from the Gerudo, he spent mainly honing his physical strength. He learned a few tricks with the magic, but it was nothing the twin witches didn't know, he was sure.

Out of frustration, he put his head in his hands and groaned. He didn't know how he would face any of his sisters of the Gerudo. Do they miss him? He wondered if they thought of him as often as he thought of them. Especially Narfalia. Narfalia was a kind girl, about the same age as Ganon when he was banished. Meer children at the shy age of twelve when he was forced to leave, he remembered the games he played with her. Narfalia would hide with him, and help him when he couldn't reach items on shelves. Although he was taller than any of the humans, and towered over the wood elves, when he was young, he was much smaller than his sisters. Narfalia was the same age but she had quite a few inches on him at the time. Now, he was sure he towered over her.

The height difference made it especially fun when she would carry him on her shoulders. It was a fun game they and the other children often played together. They would chase each other on the outskirts of the fortress, where the sand was soft and just hot enough to feel good on their tough skin. When the children weren't being forced to train, they played together by wrestling, chasing each other, or playing pranks on the older Gerudo women. The memories made him smile.

A sorrow consumed his aching heart as he recalled the children he played with. Koume and Kotake didn't give him the chance to tell them that he was being forced to leave. They were probably training or watched him depart from a window, confused. He could only imagine the tale that the witches conjured to tell the children why he left. Ganon could imagine the witches telling them something along the lines of treason to the Gerudo. Frowning, he wondered if Narfalia would still have faith in him after all the years he had been away.

Now, being just over twice the age he was when he was forced to leave, he felt sad to think of the times he missed with them. Shaking his head and running an agitated hand through his long red hair, he looked to the sleeping Zelda. Now, he had someone else to look after, he thought. His mind jumped to when he threatened her and felt that he was truly ready to kill her as soon as the goddesses released him from the trap they put him in.

Now, he wished no such fate for her. His new goal was slowly becoming one of companionship. Opposite to wanting to kill, he sought to be around until the end of their days together. Him, Epona, and her, together for a very long time, living as friends and seeking one another out in times of need sounded like a warm thought to him. It was something he hoped he could look forward to. With the skeptical looks Zelda usually gave him seeming to disappear, he knew he was getting closer to that point of trust. He had to be careful with his words, especially if she played that forsaken song, which he recognized as Zelda's Lullaby from lifetimes ago.

Putting his hands on his temples, he gently massaged them and looked to her again. The need to sleep was taking him, he realized. Yawning, she decided it was time to head to the room. They hadn't eaten an evening meal, but he felt he wasn't hungry for one. After stretching, he took a couple steps toward her and gently took him into her arms. She was easy to carry. Small, and slim as she was, she was very light in his arms. Against his large, muscular form, he felt he could easily snap her in two.

With one arm holding her under her knees and the other arm behind her shoulders, careful to keep her head against his chest, he headed to the rented room. When it was time for him to place her in the bed, he hesitated. In that moment, he realized he didn't quite want to release her. He felt a sort of… tranquility with her there in his arms. Blinking, he looked down at her face. Frowning, he gently placed her on the bed and covered her with the blanket.

He dared not remove a single piece of clothing from her out of fear that she may wake and think the wrong idea. She would wake up covered in her own sweat, shivering even worse the next day, after sleeping with the heavy cloak on, but he decided she could deal with it. Better yet, he'd simply give her another cloak if that were the case.

With Epona not sleeping with them at the inn, he decided to take the other bed as he had when him and Zelda had first stayed at the inn together. He stripped down to only his light under armor pants and sat on the edge of his bed. Combing a hand through his hair again, he took out the silver piece that tied his hair in the back. It usually rested just below his neck and it clipped onto his armor when he wore it. It kept the untamed flame of hair under control. He wore it in a messy, low ponytail usually, the length of it reaching the small of his back. The long ember locks usually got in his way if he didn't tie it back, and it was against Gerudo tradition to cut his hair.

Lying on the soft bed, and pulling the covers over him, he fell asleep with his hands folded over his stomach. The last thoughts humming through his mind consisted of what peril he may face if he chose to accompany Epona and Zelda to the desert.


	15. Chapter 14

**Zelda**

Zelda's eye fluttered open to see the room Ganon had rented. Blinking, she didn't remember walking to the room. Shivering, she hugged the blankets closer to herself. Zelda tried to sit up but found that she was incredibly tangled in her own clothing. Annoyed, she kicked the warm blanket off of her and began untangling herself from the cloak. Grumbling, she wondered how she hadn't removed the cloak before plopping into bed. When it was off, she looked down to see her blue tunic and chainmail still in place.

Her right hand rubbed her head, as she looked down, puzzled. Surely, she would have removed the chainmail. Once, she had slept in the chainmail before and it was terribly uncomfortable. How had she not removed it before sleeping? She concluded she must have been exhausted. Sighing, she put her hands behind her as she thought of what the day would have in store for her.

Looking around the room in her sleepy haze, her eyes lingered on the empty bed beside her.

Had Epona come back to spend the night with them? She didn't think so. "I'm coming in," Ganon's deep voice broke through her thoughts. Slowly, he opened the door. Cautiously he looked around before looking at Zelda. She tilted her head slightly, "Why are you being so… cautious?" she asked suspiciously. He was usually pretty rough in his actions.

"I didn't want to interrupt something," he said simply. After he entered, he placed a tray of food on the end of her bed. To her surprise, there was a cup of hot chocolate steaming on the tray as if he knew exactly what she wanted. Accompanying the warm beverage was a modest piece of toasted bread with a couple of scrambled eggs.

A pleasant shiver ran down her back as she grabbed the warm cup in her hands, enjoying the heat it supplied to her chilly fingers. "Thank you, Ganon," she said softly. Closing her eyes, she took her first sip of it.

He didn't respond as he sat on the end of the other bed. "Did Epona come back to sleep here?" Zelda asked.

Ganon shook his head, "No. I did not rent an extra room last night. She had vaguely mentioned not returning to the inn last night."

Zelda nodded as she put the now half-full mug on the tray and began eating her food. When she finished, she felt another shiver run through her. "Do you feel ill?" he asked as he was cleaning his dagger, patiently waiting for her to finish her food. She also assumed that cleaning his dagger in the lobby would be a bad idea.

"I'm not sure. I ended up sleeping in my clothes, and I'm really cold," she trailed off, picking up the hot chocolate and finishing it. "Thanks for bringing me food."

"As soon as you're ready, we'll be heading to the guards' quarters to get you some sword training before we head to the forest. Once we're done in the forest, we'll be heading back here one last time before going to the desert."

She didn't respond. Sheathing his dagger, he placed it back on his large belt and stood. Leaving, he shot her a quick glance; "I'll meet you downstairs," Ganon said sternly.

Nodding, she waited until the door was closed before she stood. Removing the chainmail and blue tunic, she reached into the trunk where she had packed her clothing a couple days ago. Changing into a clean green tunic and clean under armor clothing, she headed downstairs as quickly as she could. Zelda forgot how much lighter she was without the chainmail.

Silently, they walked to the guards' quarters. When they arrived, Epona was drilling four guards on the standing training dummies. When they hit the dummies, Zelda flinched. "Zelda, Ganon! I'm glad you guys came. This is the perfect time to train with them, Zelda. I'll pair you with Tanabe first," Epona exclaimed eagerly.

Excitement coursed through every ounce of blood pumping through Zelda's veins. As she practiced with the guards, it helped her realize her mistakes and where to improve. With the guidance of Epona and Ganon, by the end of the day she found her development was nearly instantaneous. At this point, the physical demand of using a sword wasn't as tolling it. It still left her tense, but she had no problem using the blade for an extended period of time.

Ganon, Epona, and Zelda returned to the inn together. Epona and Zelda laughed the whole way with the occasional chuckle coming from Ganon. They were mostly making fun of Zelda or the guards when she had managed to sneak in a blow. The guards weren't as talented as Epona, but they were well enough practice to adapt to other habits in fighting. The sparring proved to Zelda that her defenses were one of her strengths where as her offense needed work.

By the time they reached the inn, the sun was setting. They took the only available seats in the lobby and had a bite to eat. Because it was a normal market day, the lobby was packed with several merchants. Zelda tried to find the older woman, just out of curiosity, but it ended in no results. Shrugging it off, she focused on the conversation Ganon and Epona were having.

"You're telling me that you didn't get any little girlfriends while you were in the desert?" Epona asked with an eyebrow arched. Leaning back in her chair, she bit into the golden apple in her left hand. "You lived with all them ladies and you're telling me that Koume and Kotake never paired you up?"

"If I was not removed from the desert, I would have probably been given a bride yes," he shifted uncomfortably. "However, the girls that surrounded me were considered kin – my sisters," he sounded irritated.

Epona seemed to enjoy her apple for a few bites before answering, "Why would you not want to return to a place filled with women?"

"In the past lives, I may have been a thief and prepared to do anything to get my way, but why would I want to return to a place where I am not wanted? As much as I miss my fellow siblings, I wish the best for them. It would be better to never see them again. That way, they could simply believe whatever reason Koume and Kotake gave them for my leaving."

"They could have told your sisters anything," Zelda spoke, horrified. "What if they lied?"

Ganon shrugged, but his tight-lips and tense jaw softened for a moment, "Then it would not be my problem. What my sisters would think of me would be their burden."

Epona leaned forward, placing the apple stem on her plate. She had consumed even the seeds. "Then, perhaps it's a good thing we need to go to the desert. If we bump into your sisters, we can simply tell them what actually happened," she reasoned. "If you come with us, you could tell them yourself!"

Ganon shook his head, his frown deepening, "It would be worse. I would not wish to do that to them. I do not wish to return unless it is for a very good reason."

Epona gestured toward Zelda, "I'd think you already have a good enough reason. You're guiding the _hero_ to find the next _piece_ required to defeat an _evil_ guy."

"Before we can defeat the 'evil guy', we need the mastersword," Ganon added. "The hero is fine without me. You're a fine companion," he gestured to Epona.

"I want you to go," Zelda spoke. The words fell from her lips as she thought of them. Her voice surprised Ganon as he looked at her with his eyebrows raised. "When you're not with me, I get anxious. I feel like something will happen to you," Zelda explained quickly.

Ganon's eyebrows lowered and his frown softened, "I feel the same when you're not around, but I cannot follow you into the desert. If there is a fight with Koume and Kotake that can be avoided, I would rather it be that way."

Zelda stabbed her fork into her al dente carrots. Slowly, she ate them, keeping her gaze on the plate. "You made her sad," Epona said. Her frown was slightly raised on one side, and one eyebrow was arched, "It'd trouble both of us if you weren't there. How about you think about it some more. You can give us _another_ answer later."

"My answer will not change," he said quietly, finishing the last of the cooked cucco breast on his plate.

A waitress came and collected their plates as they all finished. The idea of Ganon not accompanying her to a new place scared her. Although she didn't feel scared to be in the desert, she felt more afraid that she would lose him while she was away. In the old tales, the bearer of wisdom was always kidnapped in some way. Although it had always been Zelda, and Ganon seemed an unlikely target for kidnapping. However, it could happen. After all, it happened briefly in the swamp.

What felt like a cold stone dropped into her stomach. She wondered what would have happened if she had let Link bring the triforce together. At first, she wanted nothing to do with the triforce. Now, she wished nothing more than to help and get it away from Link.

Her attention was shifted to Epona and Ganon as they stood. Zelda followed them, not paying attention to their lighthearted bickering. The petty insults they tossed back and forth made Zelda smile despite the sadness looming over her heart. There was something else there too… but she couldn't quite tell what it is.

Epona and Zelda entered their room and snuggled into their own beds without much conversation. Zelda lay awake, on her back with her hands folded, she stared at the ceiling. Thinking about it further, she truly had no reason to worry about Ganon being harmed by Link. Between the three of them, Ganon was the most capable of taking care of himself. With Epona, Zelda felt she had a best friend, but Ganon made her feel protected and safe. Zelda felt her frown deepen. Sighing, she turned onto her side and drifted off to sleep.

"Have you enjoyed your break?" Link's gentle voice caused her to stir.

Reluctantly, she opened her eyes, peering into his red orbs. Groggily, she glanced upward, taking in her surrounding. It was the same white room with the canopy. It felt homey and next to Link she felt peace. Closing her eyes, she knew the peaceful feeling was false. "Please," she begged, peering into his eyes once more, "I don't want to do this."

When Link moved to place a hand on her shoulder, she flinched and tried to pull away. Despite her obvious discomfort, he grabbed it anyway and eased her onto her back. "I was more comfortable on my side," she protested.

Link shook his head and moved on top of her. One of her arms was crossed over her stomach, the other curled upward, leaving her left hand by her head. His hips were still twisted, one leg crossed over the other. His hands were on either side of her neck while his knees were on either side of her hips. "I'm more comfortable this way," he said with a matter-of-fact tone.

"You're a coward," Zelda said quietly with open eyes that dared not blink. She was beginning to hate him. In the white light, his greenish skin reminded her of lush, dark leaves preparing for the autumn.

"I'm just not stupid," he argued with a mocking smirk. "Why will you not give in to what you truly want?" he asked as he moved his hands to her shoulders. The pressure he applied made her wince. The bruises had nearly disappeared, but the pain still followed even the gentlest of touches.

"If I could get what I wanted, I would have a blade through your heart," the ice in Zelda's voice made _her_ want to shiver. Her eyes fixed on him like a feline on its prey.

"I know you don't mean that," he said sympathetically, kissing her cheek. When his lips touched her skin, she shuddered. She didn't want him to touch her. It made her nervous. Being unable to move, it made her stomach turn into a knot.

"Why do you bring me to you in my dreams?"

"I'm simply enjoying our past lives for a moment. Besides, I need to remind you why you hate Ganon," he breathed against her neck, nuzzling into it.

Not used to being touched, her skin felt prickly and it was an odd sensation to feel something other than the cloak against her skin. "I'm sure your skin wasn't green and your eyes were blue," she said quietly.

Pulling away, he smiled down at her. In a blink, his skin was no longer green and his familiar blue eyes returned her stare. Gasping, her heart jumped to her throat. She wished his appearance had no affect on her. The seemingly warm smile on his lips made her feel like she could trust him. Just for a moment, she wished it were the way it was supposed to be– Ganon was the villain, and she and Link could fight together.

"I want the piece of the triforce back," Zelda said in a weak voice. Internally, she grimaced at the shakiness of her voice.

"Then come and get it." His breath tickled her neck again, causing her to shudder.

When she moved, he disappeared. Sitting up in the white bed, seeing the familiar quilt, she was panting. Despite her racing heart and mind, she quickly stood and strode over to the window. Outside, she saw her kingdom. It was a large village, not the vast city she was used to. Looking to her right, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

Her golden hair was in an elegant bun with not a single strand of hair out of place. Her crown was shimmering in the sunlight filtering through the open window. It was jagged with diamonds in a pattern around it. Where each spike formed upward lay a large emerald at its base. The shoulders, torso, and apron-like piece of the gown were a pinkish-purple while the other pieces were white trimmed with gold. The triforce was beautifully stitched on her shoulders, the apron piece, and over her heart. The golden earrings and necklace also made the gold stitching stand out against her snow-white skin.

Looking down toward the village, she felt her frown deepen. Her heart was heavy with an ominous feeling. It was almost as if something grave was going to happen to them. She wanted nothing more than to protect them from such devastation. Shaking her head, she ran from the room. With her dress balled into both fists, she looked down either side of the long hallway, trying to decide which way to go.

Running in her high heels made her clumsy, but somehow she made it down countless stairs and through winding hallways. Panting, she stood before a bridge that connected the castle to the village. "Princess, why are you down here?" a guard asked her with a pleasant smile.

"Has something happened?" she asked in between breaths.

As if on cue, the sky became a malevolent deep purple instantly. The dark colors disbursed amongst the pale blue afternoon sky. "Get inside, princess," the guard shouted as he turned to face the village as she was. Her eyes widened, her feet remained planted in the ground as a horse was running at full speed toward the castle. When it was close enough to see that there was a man riding it, it stopped and reared. Huffing, it pawed at the ground as the person on the back pulled back the hood of a dark brown cloak.

It was Ganondorf. The cloak kept his body hidden, but his flaming hair, green skin, and red eyes were unmistakable. "Princess," he greeted in a powerful tone. Zelda dropped the fabric in her hands and stood straight, lifting her chin in a sign of defiance. "You have no power here. Leave," the command in her voice surprised herself.

His deep laugh made her want to shudder, "Actually, I'll take you and the castle. It's not just about the pretty little piece on your wrist." Slowly, he trotted closer. Zelda didn't realize how large he was on his horse until he was ready to cross the bridge.

The guards raised their spears and fired arrows at him but Ganondorf laughed. Releasing a wave of energy, he managed to push all of his attackers, and Zelda onto their behinds with a concentrated force. Some of the guards were unlucky enough to hit the stone wall, causing a sickening thud sound.

Just as she had gotten to her feet, she was hauled away, pulled onto the running horse. Struggling against him was no use, she realized. He kept her close. When he dismounted, he threw her to ground and casted a white cage around her. It was just large enough for her to sit up and watch him murder all of her guards. Tears filled her eyes as she watched Impa stand up to the dark man. She had failed and kneeled before him. "Forgive me, princess," Impa had whispered before her head was separated from her body.

Zelda let out a soft gasp, watching her nurse– her best friend was murdered before her eyes. She cried out to Impa, hoping for the goddesses to hear her plea. Reaching through the cage, she sobbed, calling for Impa. Ganon turned to her with a frown. He crouched before her and took Zelda's hand into his own. Zelda immediately recoiled and pulled away from him, but he had a firm grip on her hand.

"I want you to look and see that I have taken your kingdom from you. One man has come and taken all that you have known your whole life. I will not let such a thing happen again. Hyrule must be fixed. Unfortunately, it will be done by force," he said sternly. When he released her, the force she was using to try and get away caused her to hit the back of the cage.

"I will not give into you. You are an evil man," she shouted. The dull ache in her chest, made her feel weak and hopeless. "I have a hero that will save me," she sobbed quietly. Hiding her face in her hands, she let her emotions run wild.

"I killed him," Ganon said in a surprisingly soft voice. "I brought him to believe that I was vanquished. I killed him when his guard was down," his voice was cold. Judging by the sound of his voice, Zelda knew he still crouched before her. She lowered her hands to look at him through hazy eyes, "I don't believe you," she whispered.

Ganondorf reached around, under his cloak and placed the sacred mastersword on the ground before the cage. She felt something snap in her heart. Her heart seemed to turn itself off. "Kill me too," she pleaded, staring at the sword, "Or I'll do it for you." The hopelessness in her hollow voice made it sound like someone else was speaking.

Looking back to Ganon, she saw that the cage had disappeared. "You are stronger than that. You will be my queen. You will show your people that this is the right path," he said gently. Approaching her, he grabbed her chin tenderly. Zelda couldn't find the strength to pull away from him; she couldn't imagine spending her life with him. The dull ache that throbbed in her chest made her resolve to save herself from him, if she could.

Yet, blurry memories passed before her eyes and soon she saw herself looking at him again. This time, he was being honored because of a great deed. He had brought an end to a famine, and created a cure to a plague that had nearly wiped Hyrule's people out. Confused, and angry, she sat beside him in the large banquet hall.

She looked to him and saw that he was looking at her. His expression was a strange mixture of sorrow and hope. What did he have to be sad about? He had her, her kingdom, and anything else he wanted. He murdered her guards, and Impa. She would never forgive him, she had decided long ago. Ganon looked away, disappointment clearly in his weary eyes. He stood to make a toast and the room spun until it was unrecognizable.

Suddenly, she was in a room that wasn't hers. It was dark, lit only by soft candlelight. Her hair was down, curling around her neck, and over her left shoulder, reaching her naval. Two strong hands were on her small shoulders. Looking into the mirror before her, she saw Ganon's face peering back at her. The anger she expected to feel was no longer there, however. She also saw that her features had appeared aged slightly. It had been a long time since he had killed the people before her, and the memory burned as if it happened moments ago.

"Tonight, you become my queen," he embraced her from behind. Instead of pushing him away, a sense of acceptance and dread consumed her already heavy heart. She truly had no choice? Her people seemed joyous that she had sided with him after he had proven he had righteous intent. Could they not see the evil he had done by killing those she was surrounded by? Closing her eyes, Zelda only pictured Link holding her that way Ganon was. Closing them more tightly, her imagination brought her to him, blocking Ganon out.

The familiar dizziness returned. Opening her eyes, she felt peaceful. The anger had subsided and now she was kneeling, looking into the eyes of a beautiful little girl whose eyes were large and green. How had her people grown to accept the murderous man that brought terror and evil clouds with him? They had not accepted him easily, like she had not. He had proven himelf many times through protecting the people of Hyrule. They grew to like him because, although his takeover was brutal, they found it was necessary and he kept them safe.

Zelda didn't have the resources to keep Hyrule thriving. Ganondorf knew what they needed, but he needed to be sure there would be no traitors. He needed to show that he would not be leaving and he needed to bring people whom he knew would side with him. The Gerudo he brought with him were respectful, she realized. They were kind and did as they were asked. Being called a community of thieves was not a true reputation of the Gerudo he brought with him.

"Mommy, let's play with the horses," the little girl nearly yelled from her excitement. She grabbed her mother's hand and dragged her along. Zelda smiled at the young girl tugging her along. To her left, she saw a young boy, a few years older than the little girl practicing with a sword in the courtyard. The unmistakable flaming hair must have been a dominant trait, Zelda realized, glancing to the little girl's glittering red locks. Despite the bright hair, they had received a mixture of her light skin and the Gerudo's exotic dark tan.

Supervised by his father, he swung the sword every which way. Ganondorf corrected him as he saw fit and Zelda heard her son get the praise he deserved from his father. The bliss came to an end as the sickening whirl passed through. The scenery changed as it spun faster.

In another setting, she was lying on a bed. She felt wise and tired, but she had a heavy burden on her heart. A hefty weight she wished not to share with anyone. Looking to the ceiling, she found herself reminiscing in memories with her children and spouse. She was a good queen, in the end. She had gotten over the death of her guards and Impa through the love of her two wonderful children. A smile graced her lips when she remembered the surprise of her having a boy. Ganon found unhappiness in that moment because he knew his reign would end with him. A new rebellion would spark when he passed. There had always been underground rebellions; they were simply waiting for their chance to strike.

Zelda still had the triforce of wisdom as she lay on her deathbed. Ganon never took it from her. Because of the piece, she witnessed their future many times in foreboding dreams. She didn't want to believe them, but she knew her son would be killed in a battle. Many times, she had begged Ganondorf to try and stop it before it happened, but when he was able to, it led to an even dimmer future. Losing one child was hard enough, but losing both? Zelda could never bear that. Closing her eyes, she released her last breath and let the never-ending sleep take her away.

Zelda gasped, sitting up. Her golden-brown hair tangled around her shoulder down the small of her back and over her shoulders. Wide blue eyes, full of tears waiting to be shed, gazed ahead at the plain wall of the inn. Putting her hands over her aching heart, she released a quiet sob. The sun was just beginning to peak through the window, easing light into the dark room.

She wished that she could not relive the past lives. In that memory, she truly loved Link. However, in that life, she grew to love Ganon. She had children with the man she had once hated. Even though in this cycle he was no longer the villain, it was playing out that way, she realized. Tightening her small hands into fists, she pulled her knees to her chest and continued to cry.

* * *

><p><strong>BUT HOW'D THEY KILL THE CUCCO TO GET FOOD<strong>


	16. Chapter 15

It didn't take her long to ease the flowing tears. Sore and swollen, Zelda felt as though her eyes could use the cool morning air to ease the pain. After quickly getting dressed and throwing on her cloak, she practically ran outside. With her, merchants were beginning to set up shop for the long day ahead of them. Zelda aimlessly walked forward, watching them set up and eavesdropping on the brief conversations.

After the tenth or eleventh merchant, she found they were all turned to look further down the path. Shifting her gaze as well, her feet suddenly felt like stone. With wide eyes, she saw the incoming crowd on the path. Rushing to the side, she watched the herd as they passed.

Zelda knew the faces that passed her. None made eye contact with her, but she recognized them as the villagers she lived with. Their eyes seemed sunken in and black from lack of sleep. Children were jittery and scared– some children were clinging to their parents, afraid to lose them. Curiosity sparked as the expressions became grimmer and some passed while sobbing into their hands.

"Heala? Heala, is that you?" a soft, trembling voice asked. Zelda had been looking toward the disappearing end of the passing crowd and had to turn toward the oncoming end. Blinking, it took her a moment to register that Heala had been her name not too long ago. She had adopted the traditional name in an attempt to free herself from the bullying habits of the village. It had not worked.

"That _is_ you," the girl, the same age as Zelda, tossed the reign to her horse and ran toward Zelda. Taking a step back, Zelda panicked. Should she run? Why should she stay and converse with this person? It was this girl's fault that Zelda had a mostly terrible childhood.

She wrapped her arms around Zelda's slim shoulders and squeezed tightly, "Thank the goddesses you are all right." Her voice was a low, hoarse whisper. The physical contact made Zelda freeze, waiting for release from the embrace.

"I'm not Heala, Emirian" Zelda said coldly. She didn't react to the hug. Her eyes felt the familiar sting of tears. Blinking them away, Zelda felt she had cried enough already.

"Of course you are," Emirian pulled away but kept her hands on Zelda's shoulders. Emirian's eyes traveled up and down Zelda's body. Zelda was grateful that her cloak kept her hidden to her knees. "Yes, you are indeed Heala. Plus, you have the wood elf ears, you know. I can see them under that hood."

"I am Zelda," she said coldly. Emirian ignored her.

"Heala, what happened to you? I gave you that charm and you disappeared for _days_. I've been worried sick. I tried to convince them to look, but they wouldn't," Emirian's voice cracked. Zelda's cold stare returned Emirian's pleading, large brown eyes.

"Did you know what that necklace was?" Zelda asked, trying to keep her own uneven voice from cracking.

"It was a hunting charm," Emirian said innocently.

"My entire life as a child you spent pretending to be friend on and off. That necklace you gave me had goblins chasing after me for days," Zelda practically growled. The sleep was still evident in her voice, thus it seemed deeper than usual.

Withdrawing her hands, Emirian clapped them over her open mouth, "I had no idea," she gasped. "Truly, I was just trying to help you! I know that you never get a good meal, so I thought that the charm would help you," she argued. "For the goddesses' sake, we are approaching our twentieth year together, and you think I would try to do something like that again? I've been nothing but a good friend for the past five years! I haven't pulled a prank since we were fifteen!"

Zelda felt her anger rising into her face. Even in the cold air, she was beginning to feel warm. "If I could pick and choose my friends, I can assure you, you wouldn't be on the top of my list," she said coolly. Of course, now she _could_ choose her friends, and Zelda had no intention of keeping Emirian in her life.

Emirian slowly brought her hands down to her sides, and looked at Zelda. The hopelessness in her eyes had returned and they were stabbing Zelda's cold heart with pity. "I won't deny that I have been wrong. I know that I have been mean to you. I _know_ I don't deserve to be your friend, but I was worried," she said softly. Narrowing her eyes, Zelda searched for a hint that she was lying.

It felt like a long time before Zelda's expression eased and softened the tension pulling in her face. Looking to the side, Zelda spoke, "I'll forgive you. You probably didn't know what that necklace was." There was a hint of desperation in her voice. "What has caused this mass migration?" she asked, switching the subject. There was no point in dwelling on the daunting childhood memories. A more pressing issue needed to be addressed.

Emirian put her hands on opposite shoulders, hugging herself and shivering, "It–It was awful, Heala. Out of nowhere, the village was invaded by shadows. They couldn't hurt us, but they would follow us everywhere and they ruined the harvest from autumn. One day was normal, and the next day we woke to that…that hell. None of us could sleep and with our food spoiled, we needed to move to warmer weather." Emirian visibly shuddered after forming the sentence with stuttered words.

Zelda's eyes widened, "A shadow army? How is that possible? There was no sign of a leader?"

Emirian shook her head, "No, there were no signs that I could see. We managed to stick around for only a few days, but there was no authoritative figure that appeared." She hung her head in defeat, "They even killed a few of the infants…"

"How? You said they weren't able to harm you."

"They couldn't but they scared the poor babes to death. They could invade us mentally and plant awful thoughts there," Emirian held her left pointer finger to her left temple. "Parents did their best to soothe children, but it didn't really work. This morning, a few infants stopped their endless cry and slipped into eternal sleep," she whispered.

"Why are they not following you?"

"We're not sure," Emirian looked over her shoulder, suddenly paranoid. "They stopped at the edge of the forest, watching us with those glowing red eyes," she shuddered again.

"If you've renounced your given name–" Emirian was suddenly trying to switch the subject. Based on her shivering and her hands moving constantly, Zelda figured she wanted to focus on something else.

"I have not," Zelda interrupted Emirian. "My parents gave me the name Zelda because of my blond hair and blue eyes," she practically growled again. "The entire village did their best to make me forget my name was Zelda by calling me Heala."

Taken aback by the sudden fury, Emirian took a step back, bumping into the chest of a tall, lean and slender boy Zelda recognized as Emirian's brother. "Emi, you'll get left behind," he said softly as his hands grabbed her shoulders. He looked to Zelda and gasped, "Heala? What are you doing here?" Before Zelda could explain, Emirian told her brother about Zelda being chased by goblins for days. As she explained, Zelda was thankful that she was not asked why she was in Almeia.

"Heala, we truly did try to find you. The village abandoned you, but we tried not to. Emi and I truly did try," his black eyes held the same pleading look as his sister's. Zelda frowned, "Don't call me Heala."

"She took her birth name back, Kamal," Emirian explained. He nodded knowingly, "I'm glad you did. I hated how the elders forced us to call you Heala. I slipped once when I spoke of you and they didn't give me food or water for a whole day."

It was Zelda's turn to be surprised. He had never acknowledged her, just simply said "hello" and "goodbye" when it was appropriate. Though, she did remember his sincere, warm smiles when his sister made her miserable. Frowning, she looked at both of them, "Emirian, Kamal, I need you to tell me more about those shadows."

Simultaneously, they opened their mouths to speak, but another voice cut them off. It came from their father. He was gesturing them toward the parade of wooded elves; their time was up and Emirian and Kamal needed to leave. Zelda knew they had no choice but to obey. Despite their father's harsh demeanor, it was frowned upon to disobey parents. It would lead to near deadly consequences occasionally. Zelda shuddered, remembering the punishment she had witnessed on another village boy.

They gave Zelda one last look before merging with the crowd behind their father. Their long black hair swayed behind them on their winter garbs. Watching them go, she debated whether or not to walk with them and get more information. However, she knew that if their parents figured out it was her, they would try to shoo her away. They had never liked her and they encouraged Emirian's bullying habits toward Zelda as a child and teenager.

Looking down, Zelda clenched her fists and tried to make a decision. With the carriage, Ganon, and Epona with her, she knew they could cleanse the forest without a problem. However, the trip back to the forest would put them behind nearly a week. Eyes opening wide, Zelda looked in the direction the elves had come from. What about Amelia and Oroth? Surely, Ganon would worry about them.

Sprinting back to the inn, Zelda walked to the fire pit and played the melody taught to her. The innkeeper at the desk gave her an odd look, but she ignored it. It was urgent, and they needed to be contacted. The fire gave way to the familiar petite and young Amelia. Zelda smiled instinctively, but as she stared at Amelia's face she realized the terror had reached her as well.

"Zelda," a hoarse, tired voice whispered into her ear. "Link is moving. He–"

Amelia coughed into her small, trembling hands. "Oroth and I can't take much more. We've tried everything. We can't keep them away. He'll be here soon. Oroth and I–"

The picture left and Zelda instinctively reached into the fire. When the flames licked her hand, she immediately brought it back, hugging it to her chest. In a frantic panic, she ran toward Ganon's room. Nearly kicking the door down, she burst into his room.

"Something–"

"What the hell are you doing?" he growled. He was on his feet in the blink of an eye, one hand curled into a tight fist as the other held a dagger close to his side. He had a light pair of under armor pants on but he wasn't wearing a shirt. Lips curled into a grimace, he opened his mouth, ready to yell at her.

"Amelia and Oroth are in danger," she stopped him. "Something had happened in the woods, and we need to go there _now_."

Now, the sleep was showing in his face through his weary eyes. It took a moment for her words to catch up to him, but when they did he sheathed the dagger and spoke, "I need you to tell me what's happening." His voice was deep and calming.

Zelda did just that. She told him about the wood elves and her brief connection with Amelia. By the end, she was panting from speaking so quickly. "I can go without you and Epona, and you can both join me later. I need to go right this instant. I'm wasting time! Without the carriage, it will only take a full day of light to get there," Zelda urged.

Ganon was quick to crush her determination to leave, "_You_ are not leaving this inn unless you are going to gather the other stones. I will go to Amelia and Oroth and help them. I am strong enough on my own. You and Epona will venture on your own. Then, when you are finished, join me in the woods. You know how to contact Amelia and Oroth, so it will work the same for me."

In order to communicate with them, she would need to play the melody taught by Amelia and Oroth. If she wanted to see their face, she would need to look into fire, water, or a tree. Tight fists were by her side under the cloak, "I want to go! If it's Link–"

Ganon threw his cloak at her in an attempt to make her be quiet. "You're not going. You need to get the master sword," he said sternly. His green eyes cut through her like a newly sharpened dagger. Zelda faltered as she tried to think of something else to say.

He was fully dressed and ready to go when he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, grabbing his cloak with his other hand. "Epona will help you get the other two stones. You will join me after you gather them. You owe those people nothing, Zelda. I will see you soon," he said with a hint of kindness in his sleepy voice.

Ganon walked past her and left the room. She took a few steps into the hall and watching him disappear down the stairs. It took every ounce of her willpower not to run after him. Although she had to gather the stones, she felt accompanying him was far more important. Could he handle it by himself? Shaking her head, Zelda knew the answer was yes. Ganon was more than capable of handling himself. He didn't need someone there to help him.

Her shoulders slumped as she rubbed her stringing eyes with her palms. In a way, she felt as if she were beginning to fail Hyrule. At this rate, she could be blamed if it became worse, thus reinforcing the reason for the rebellion years ago. Lethargically, Zelda made her way to the room Ganon rented for Epona and her. Sitting on the end of Epona's bed, she woke her. When Epona fired a few questions in her frustrated, sleepy voice, Zelda flung all of the information she had at Epona.

"We need to get going then," Epona said after a moment. Zelda nodded grimly.

They emptied their room and decided that they would not be staying another night. When they informed the keeper, he told them that Ganon had already paid. Without Ganon, they encountered a few difficulties loading the carriage, but they managed. As soon as they were ready, they departed from Almeia and headed to what used to be the Lost Woods.

"This is so sudden," Epona said quietly. She sat beside Zelda on the driver's seat. She had left her own horse in the care of her mother. It was nice to have three horses just in case, but with just Zelda and Epona traveling, they would only need two horses. She seemed to already miss her horse, Muntun, terribly.

"That's why we need to get this done and over with as soon as possible," Zelda responded. She didn't need to look at Epona to see the pity in her eyes.

"Why did you wake up crying?"

Zelda looked at Epona, surprised. She had hoped Epona was sleeping soundly when she was woken up by her disturbing dream. As much as Zelda wanted to tell her that it was nothing, she knew it was something. Also, Zelda had made a promise to herself that would not keep a secret or lie to them again. Feeling defeated, she explained the vivid dream. At the end she added, "I don't think they're dreams any more. I think Link is trying to coax out my past lives."

"He's just trying to cause you pain," Epona frowned, leaning back slightly. "I wonder what he's actually trying to do," she muttered.

"All I know is that, according to Ganon, he just wants power. Even if he is only seeking power…" Zelda trailed off.

"But what kind of power do you get just for ruling Hyrule? Hyrule is no different than its neighbors, like Termina. There is nothing for him to gain," Epona said, confusion etched into her voice.

Zelda shook her head, "I don't think we'll ever find out. Not that his motive really matters. He'll tear Hyrule apart and kill all of its citizens before we stop him at this rate. I don't know where the elves are going to live now. They might just migrate off the map."

Zelda and Epona went back and forth on possible reasons why Link would be pursuing to rule Hyrule and obtain the triforce. By the time they reached the Lost Woods and set up camp, they had come up with no satisfactory conclusion. The subject had then changed to home life. They went back and forth on a few stories, although most of the stories Zelda shared seemed to end sadly.

"So how about we forget that those… those _elves_ treated you harshly and just call Ganon, Amelia, Oroth, and me your new family. You can forget about those goblins, and move on to us," Epona beamed excitedly.

"But when this is all over, we'll be going our separate ways, I'm sure. Ganon and I are on good terms right now, but that doesn't change his past, you know. He is still the reincarnation of evil. His very being was created due to hate."

"Speaking of them, shouldn't you try and contact them?" Epona asked, glancing to the campfire. Zelda followed Epona's eyes to the campfire, and found that she was nervous to contact them. What if they didn't answer, or what if Ganon had been injured. "I should," Zelda whispered.

She took out her necklace, turned it into a harp, and scooted closer to the fire. She sat on her ankles with her back straight as she played the melody Amelia and Oroth had taught her. When she was finished playing, the fire made a spitting noise and a clear image of Ganon took over the core of the flame.

Zelda's relief was brief. Like Amelia, Ganon appeared incredibly exhausted. "Have you gotten the forest's stone yet?" he asked, wasting no time. She shook her head and opened her mouth to speak, but he spoke first. "We're holding out fine. By morning, the castle should have a barrier up to keep the shadow beasts out. Waste no time, Zelda. Get those stones and get back here," he said in a stern voice. His image disappeared, leaving Zelda feeling as though she was slacking in her duties.

"Well, that seemed pleasant," Epona mumbled. Standing up, she brushed off her behind, "I think that means we shouldn't waste time sleeping. After we get the stone, we'll come back and sleep."

"We can't see through the forest at night. I realize it's not the Lost Woods any more, but it's still a dense wooded area. I don't want to spend my evening lost in there," Zelda argued. She didn't want to waste time either, but she felt it would be counterproductive to risk getting lost.

Epona shook her head, "We brought some oil lanterns with us, so let's bring a couple of those and our sleeping bags, just in case. The horses and wagon will be fine here by themselves. It's not like we have anything with us besides food and water," she shrugged.

Even if they were carrying valuables, she knew the road would have no travellers or merchants on it. For a long time, the Lost Woods had a bad reputation. Often, they would travel around the wood, but it continued to grow like a weed. Eventually, it became so large that there was no way around it. The merchants would go through the woods and promise the Kokiri entertainment objects, like toys and candy. Sometimes they would get through, other times they wouldn't. That left the vast lake and river for trading. The Zora were far more reasonable than the fickle Kokiri.

When Zelda had been wandering around town, she didn't hear merchants talking about the Lost Woods. They had learned about the swamp being safe soon enough, but there was no news about the Lost Woods. What the lack of travel also meant, however, is that they would be on their own if they did happen to get lost.

She knew Epona was correct, however. Following her lead, Zelda accompanied Epona. As they traveled, it bothered Zelda that the only sound seemed to come from them. It felt as if the trees were devouring any other sound. In the swamp there were the comforting sounds of the running water and insects. To Zelda, it reinforced the fact that the forest was dead without the Deku Tree and Saria.

Epona stopped suddenly and held a hand up, signaling Zelda to stop in her tracks. "I hear the creek," Epona said softly. Her footsteps began picking up, following the sound. When they were close enough, Epona kneeled by the edge and stuck a hand into the river. When she stood up, she began walking along the creek.

"When Ganon and I came into the forest to try and find you, we followed the river, remember? We were traveling against the current. I think, if we go the same way, we might find some hint of Kokiri village and the Deku Tree."

Zelda agreed with her logic, but she wondered if it would hold true in this case. When they were leaving the lost woods– Zelda didn't remember leaving the Lost Woods. Frowning, she felt the familiar sting of guilt returning. Shaking her head, she changed the direction of her thoughts to when they arrived at the forest the first and second time.

The first time, it was dense and the trees seemed to be eating the sunlight, replacing it with a deep, dark green. The darkness in the Lost Woods was _hungry_. What it was eating, Zelda had hoped she would never find out. The second time they arrived to the forest, it was tranquil. The wood was almost see-through, in fact. Not that the end of the forest could be seen from the edge, but you could see the front, back, and sides of each tree. Before, each tree seemed as if it were a part of the same creature, but it had no back and no sides. It was an infinite tree and the moment your eyes were not on it, it moved.

Zelda walked into Epona's back, causing Epona to stumble forward a step. She turned to Zelda, "Hey! You weren't even paying attention to what I was saying, were you?" Zelda didn't answer. "Well," Epona huffed and placed her free hand on her hip as she turned around. Holding her lantern up, she attempted to cast the light farther, "I think this is the village."

"Why? I don't see anything that would show that," Zelda took a few steps forward to stand beside Epona.

"Try playing your harp or flute."

Taking her necklace out of her pocket, Zelda turned it into the harp. Epona took her lantern as Zelda got into position. Gentle fingertips strummed the harp. After a few strums, her fingers naturally fell into the rhythm of a soothing melody. It was uppity, and made her want to dance to it. Her hips swayed with the notes until it came to a close. After the music died, Zelda found the silence deafening.

"I feel like that should've worked," Epona sighed.

"In the swamp, I had an urge to play. I didn't quite have that feeling here," Zelda responded softly. She felt Epona was on the right track, but they needed to find the right spot.

"I don't want to give up for the night yet, so let's try and find the path to–" Epona yelped. The sound of splashing water followed shortly after. Zelda didn't move, afraid to make the same mistake. Epona had both lamps, leaving her in the dark. Zelda called out for Epona.

When there was no response, Zelda felt a lump in her throat. She would have to move to try and get to Epona. As if on cue, the harp became obnoxiously bright, "I can't see," she yelled at it. As much as she wanted to throw it, her grip remained tight, as if her hand was a part of the instrument.

When she opened her eyes, the forest was no longer dark, and sunlight filtered through healthy green leaves. The grass was vibrant, and the colors seemed bright and healthy as they would in beginning of summer. Looking to the cliff, Zelda remembered when Ganon and Epona had first seen her before Gohruma appeared behind them. She was standing at the top of the waterfall.

Running to the edge, Zelda looked over it, searching the clear blue pond at the base of the waterfall. A sigh of relief left her lips, as she saw Epona crawling over the edge, coughing. Her eyes switched back to the waterfall, watching it. It took a moment to register, but she noticed that the water was flowing _upward_.

"Zelda, are you OK?" Epona called out, looking around frantically. Could Epona not see that the forest was beautiful and bright now?

"I'm fine. Are you? I can see everything now. The sun is out," Zelda said happily. "Did you know that this waterfall is flowing upwards?"

Epona's head was in her direction, but their eyes were not locked, "That's crazy."

"What would be crazy is if the water was flowing downward and so was the waterfall," she reasoned. Carefully, she began climbed down the waterfall. It wasn't a hard climb because there were plenty of rocks and roots for her to grip.

"What do you mean it's sunny. It is _not_. I can't see a thing!"

Zelda reached out to touch Epona's shoulder. The touch caused her to jump to the side, tumbling to her feet with her sword out. "It was me," Zelda giggled. "Take my hand, and I'll try to find our way through the forest."

Epona sheathed her sword and groped what was darkness until Zelda gently took hold of her hand. Looking around, Zelda admired the barren wood. There was no sign of the village, but she felt as if she knew the way to go. Closing her eyes, she began stepping forward. Following her instincts, she decided to walk until whatever was making her want to move gave her the cue to stop.

"Zelda, how do you know where to go?"

"I don't," Zelda said honestly. "Something else is leading me there. It's almost sad," she mumbled. In her chest, she felt the lightest tug. Epona and her walked in silence.

When the tugged stopped, so did she. Opening her eyes, she saw a tree that looked like any other, except for a gaping slash diagonally across the trunk. The large cut was as long as her arm span. Releasing Epona's hand, Zelda touched the cut, feeling it with all of her fingers. "I found him," she said sadly, "He was killed." From what Ganon and Epona had told her, she thought that the Deku Tree passed because Saria was killed. Looking at the trunk, she felt there was more to it than Saria's death.

Kneeling down, Zelda pressed her left ear to the tree. With both palms pressed against it, and her eyes closed, she concentrated on listening. Just as she was about to pull away, she heard a faint whispering.

"Ma…e…nc…ike…ld"


	17. Chapter 16

**I didn't proof read… Sorry ):**

**Amelia**

Running on no sleep, the week had felt like a month. She was glad that Zelda and Ganon had not tried to contact them. But, when Zelda had made contact, it was the perfect time. At sundown, Ganon had arrived ready to help. Unfortunately, it was a strenuous job, even for him.

Oroth and Amelia had done their best to hold off the shadow army from advancing into the castle. The goblins residing within had fled long ago when the new maids and butlers moved in. Residing in the castle, besides Amelia and Oroth, were twenty-five wood elves. They had decided to stay, despite their people leaving the forest. It was a decision that Amelia respected and admired them for.

Together, they had worked hard to put up a barrier around the castle. Oroth and Amelia had to work extensively in order to accomplish as little as they had. With the constant interference of the army, it was a very weak barrier. It did its job of protecting the maids and butlers, however.

"Oroth, I don't think I can handle this much longer," Amelia sighed warily. Her young face seemed to have aged considerably. Beneath her eyes were black bags and her young, vibrant eyes were dulled.

"Hang in there just a little longer," he urged her, trying to maintain his concentration.

"Until what? Until Zelda comes back with the stones and then they go and grab the master sword? We won't make it that long. We'll pass out from sleep depravation first," she said quietly. Her irritability was becoming more evident with each passing minute. The few hours of sleep they had managed to get were not enough to keep them energized. They had been relying on various potions they were able to conjure.

Oroth and Amelia had to meditate for several hours each day to ensure the barrier remained in tact. With Ganon's help, they were finally able to sleep peacefully for a small time. After having more than four hours of sleep, they thought it would be easy to make the barrier stronger. However, the shadow army persisted, quadrupled in number, and beat up the barrier.

"Amelia, Oroth, I can take it for a while," Ganon said quietly from beside them. Since he had arrived, he immersed himself in meditation with the barrier. It reminded Amelia why she had grown so attached to him when she was much smaller. Together, Amelia and Oroth left Ganon to the meditation.

"We need to figure out something we can do," Amelia whispered as she slowly walked away. "We can't keep this up."

Oroth grimaced, "I know it seems hard right now, but we must hold up for the staff we hired. All we have to do is keep the barrier up and they can continue their job." The few shadows that did make it through the barrier would only haunt them when they were meditating. While they attempted to distract the meditation, that left the rest of the staff to go about their business.

"They chose to stay, and we must show that we are willing to protect them," Oroth sighed.

"We will die," Amelia said slowly, spitting each word as if it were venomous. "I'm only fifteen, you know. My spirit may be old and wise, but my body needs rest and I need to recover," she argued. Placing a hand over her heart, she looked into Oroth's gray eyes, "I care about the staff that has placed their trust in us, but we need to take care of ourselves too."

Oroth shook his head, and returned her gaze as they descended from the main staircase, "Have more faith in yourself, Amelia."

Amelia frowned. It wasn't often that the two bickered. His sense seemed to be leaving him, she mentally concluded. Pursing her lips, she looked away from him. Shaking her head, she ran back in the direction of the meditation room. It was accessed through the second floor of the castle in a secluded wing. Going through a door brought her to a spiral staircase that hugged the tower to the top. There, she sat beside Ganon and joined him in his meditation once more.

He had given them an opportunity to rest, but no matter what, her old spirit would ache to be near wisdom in order to protect it. When Oroth and Amelia were able to rest, they had slept in the same room. Now, Ganon had become increasingly more irritable and did not want them around when he was trying to meditate.

Amelia tried to talk with him as she had before the shadow army invaded, but he would only grunt in response to anything she asked. "Why are you here? Go sleep," he practically growled at her. She looked over at him wearily, "I don't feel right leaving you here by yourself." He finally opened his eyes and looked at her.

His tired green eyes met her gray gaze. Oroth and Amelia shared the same eye, hair, and skin color. Like Ganon, they had tan skin, but not as dark as his. They had gray eyes with white hair. Despite their youth, their hair would shine like new silver jewelry in the sun like an elder in the town that lined the desert. With Ganon's flaming hair, the trio stood out amongst the towns they visited. Most civilians took them as a traveling circus act.

The deep, vibrant green of Ganon's eyes was dull, like hers. He appeared tired with bags under his eyes as they showed the concern in his face, "I will be just fine without you both here to help. It's at the point where the barrier will break soon no matter how we try."

"How long do you think we'll have to do this?"

Ganon shook his head slowly, "I'm–"

"Not too long," Link laughed from behind them. They both turned to look. Ganon was on his feet instantaneously, ready for combat. Yet, the Link standing before them was the same as any other shadow soldier they had encountered. It was simply a shadow with Link's voice, is seemed.

The shadow floated nearer, circling them slowly, "Are you worn down yet? Do you think now would be a good time to drop in?" Link asked excitedly. The shadow's red eyes seemed to twinkle, as if it were smiling.

"The sooner you give in, the sooner we can end this mess," Link said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"What would you even get for doing that?" Amelia asked, annoyed. She was beyond fed up with his behavior. "There is nothing to rule in Hyrule. The ruling family is a joke and nobody takes them seriously. Ganon wants to restore it, and what will you do? Unleash all of your goblins among us, and bring your little army from the depths of hell?"

"Oh, you're spirited," Link said quietly. Suddenly, he stopped circling them and stood by the door. The shadow's arms began to move rhythmically. They moved in big circles with one palm facing upward, the other downward. The room began to spin as she watched him move. Closing her eyes and looking away, she heard him chuckle. Opening them, she found that she was beginning to give in to the pull of sleep. The sweet, beautiful feeling of drifting away became more appealing by the second. Closing her eyes, the sound of Ganon and herself hitting the floor was the last she heard before embracing slumber.

Amelia's eyes fluttered open to reveal darkness. She knew she was conscious because she felt cold. The dampness in the air made her shiver slightly. A shaky breath fell from her lips as she tried to move. The sound of metal clinking on stone made her jump. A yelp echoed as pain crept from her wrists along her arms.

Experimenting with her limited movement, Amelia realized that she was sitting against a stone wall with bedding beneath her. Her legs were stretched out in front of her, her heels touching the stone floor. There was no height beneath the bedding. Her wrists couldn't move very far; it was just enough for her hands to touch her mid-thighs.

"Oroth," she called out, her voice high and hoarse. She called out again, feeling more panicked. She could feel that he was alive, but she couldn't tell where he was. When no answer came, she tried calling out for Ganon. Still, there were no answers.

As her eyes got used to the darkness, she began to recognize the dungeon. They were still in Ganon's castle.

"Can you hear me? Amelia, Oroth, Ganon?"

Zelda's voice sounded heavenly through Amelia's distress. However, if the message was being pushed straight to her, that meant Oroth and Ganon were unavailable. Biting her bottom lip, Amelia responded back in her mind, "Link is here."

"Amelia?" Zelda's voice paused, mimicking Amelia's tone of despair. "Ganon… Oroth, do you know if they're all right?"

Amelia shrugged, forgetting that Zelda couldn't see her, "I'm not sure. Your message would have gone straight to Ganon if he were conscious. If Oroth were awake, he would have responded, as I am able to. Because they're not, I am assuming the worse." Amelia was trying to keep her formality in check. As much as she wanted to complain, and beg Zelda to come and rescue them, she knew that Zelda had a duty to fulfill and it came before them.

"I suspect they are fine though. I can sense Oroth is fine, and Link wouldn't kill Ganon," Amelia paused. Link's unpredictable personality made her question whether or not that was true. "Have you gotten the stone from the woods?" she asked, full of hope.

"Yes, I found it. I encountered Link there too, you know."

Amelia's eyes widened, "What happened?"

"He keeps asking me to make a choice. Not that it's really a choice, but he wants me to side with him or I have to…" Zelda's voice faded momentarily and then returned, "I'd have to kill Ganon." Amelia relaxed. In her mind, she felt there was no way Zelda could kill Ganon. They might be able to put up a good fight, but Zelda only stood a chance if she had a bow in her hands.

"I wouldn't worry about that," Amelia responded, trying to comfort her. She felt her lips slide into a half smile, "Ganon would be able to defend himself against you. Not that you're not a worthy adversary, but you only pose a threat with your bow and arrow."

Amelia heard a laugh, "You're right, Amelia. But he did buy me a nice bow. I have to get more arrows for it. I lost most of them in the swamp when I was fighting in the water," Zelda's voice came across as cheery. "How is the shadow army situation? Did they subside after Link showed himself?"

"No," Oroth's tired voice broke through the communication. "Despite Amelia's efforts to make it seem as if nothing is happening, we are in grave danger. Link is here, and he is demanding entrance to the temple. Get that last stone and come here, Zelda. We need you as soon as possible," he spoke in a grave tone.

Amelia felt a sudden emptiness in her mind signaling that the communication was cut. Frowning, she called out for Oroth again. This time a groan echoed from what seemed like far away. "I missed you," she yelled jokingly. A faint chuckle followed her yell.

As a smile danced on her lips, she remembered her time with younger Ganon and Oroth. They were fond memories filled with laughter until the goddesses called upon them. Amelia and Oroth had found out why they were so close to one another shortly after Ganon began searching for Zelda. Truly, they were not brother and sister, but their striking resemblance to one another was something they did not consider as mere coincidence.

The memory of the goddesses was as clear as day in her mind still. A kind elderly lady approached Oroth and Amelia one day in the market of the bordering he desert. Taking their hands, she told them a story about the goddesses. When she asked if Amelia and Oroth believed it, they hesitated but eventually answered yes.

The world had faded away within a second. They were no longer in the market, but now they were in a forest paradise. It gave her a sense of peace and warmth that she didn't know what possible. Amelia remembered smiling, lifting her chin toward the warmth, basking in it. The elderly lady was no longer old and feeble. Before Oroth and Amelia in this new place, she was a woman with long blue hair in a gown that gave her shapely body the perfect compliment.

It was then that she informed them of the role they would play in Ganon's quest. Amelia wasn't surprised, but Oroth was. It was the good kind of surprised; the kind where he jumped up and down with brief excitement and hugged Amelia. He was excited that he had a purpose in life that would feel important to him. The sense of joy she felt for him was overwhelming.

When they departed from the goddess's presence, Oroth and her had a different kind of connection. It was as if something was edged awake, and they were connected on a more intimate level. At first, it was nerve-wracking, but they got used to it. As they did, they learned to use it for silent talks with one another.

Amelia shifted, causing the chains to clink. The sound brought from her happy memories. "Did you hear the whole conversation with Zelda?" she yelled, feeling impatient with his slow response.

"Yes, Amelia," Oroth responded after a moment. His frustration was evident in his voice. "You shouldn't have brushed it off like that. Zelda was right to be concerned," he continued.

Amelia huffed, "I disagree," she said simply. Oroth always put forth a logical argument, whereas she would rely on her intuition. It made it hard for them to reach an agreement sometimes.

Oroth seemed to take that as the end because he didn't answer. "We need to help him," he said a little bit more softly. It sounded as if he was only one cell away.

Amelia figured it was her turn to remain silent. The gears turned in her mind, trying to figure out what Link would do with Ganon, but she couldn't find an ending she liked. She feared for her friend. Looking at the ground, she whispered, "How can we?"

"But you won't" Link's cold voice cut through her thoughts. Amelia looked up at him, curling her legs so they were closer to her. He was crouching in front of her, one hand extending toward her face. His cold fingers gently gripped her chin, taking a firm grip on her jaw. "Ganon is sleeping right now. As for the rest of your hired hands, they're in their quarters, feeding my shadows as they sleep. But you and Oroth… Well, I need you both for something else!"

Standing straight, Link made a strange motion with his hands. Shortly after, the scenery changed into the entrance hall. Her and Oroth were sitting as they were in the dungeon. However, instead of being attached to a wall, they being held up in thin air. The chains seemed to be attached to nothing, but they still limited her movement.

"In one lifetime, I considered Impa a good friend," he nodded as he began pacing between Oroth and Amelia. "Yes, I remember when she taught me a sacred melody that I can't remember now. She also tended to accompany Zelda just out of my grasp. But now, I have Ganon, and there's no need for Impa."

Link turned to Amelia with a malicious smile that sent a shiver down her spine. Behind him, she focused on Oroth thrashing, attempting to break the chains. Looking back up to Link's face, she began to panic. With each step he took toward her, she felt herself tremble.

"Oroth," she said quietly, trying to move away from the approaching Link. Again, she called out for Oroth, this time yelling. By the time Link had reached her, she had screamed out for Oroth, fear beginning to numb her.

_I'm too young_.

Link grabbed her left shoulder and pulled his free hand back as if it were holding something. Tears clouded her vision as she tried to thrash. Clenching her eyes shut, she felt the cold steel bite her skin.

Oroth's wide eyes were unsure of what he had witnessed until Link moved. He wanted it to be a dream, some illusion meant to deter them from reaching their goal. However, when Amelia's scream died away and Link stepped to the side, looking down at her, Oroth sobbed. The young girl he had taken care of since her birth. Their mother had died shortly after, unable to endure the pains after the labor. That left him taking care of her. He didn't mind and Amelia was an easy child.

The new emptiness in his heart assured him that his sister was all but living. "Goddesses, why?" Oroth sobbed quietly.

Link began to walk away after admiring his work on Amelia. Oroth yelled after him, begging Link to kill him as well. But, he left Oroth to stare at her bloodied body.


	18. Chapter 17

**Ganon**

A groan of pain escaped his lips as he shifted. Ganon sat up. He had no bindings, but he felt trapped. It was the same room he had fainted in with Amelia. Looking around, he wasn't surprised to see that she wasn't there. What he did know was that Link was in his castle somewhere.

Ganon moved to his feet, his vision blurry. Blinking quickly, he tried to get rid of blurriness. Had Link hurt Amelia or Oroth? Narrowing his eyes, he focused on the door, eager to get out and assess the damage Link may have done.

"I'm glad you're awake," Link said. Ganon turned to find him sitting on the floor near the window across from the door. Because the light was coming from the window, Link was merely a silhouette.

"So you couldn't beat it, eh?" Ganon asked, referring to the corruption that came with the triforce piece of power.

"I welcomed it and now, I'm ready to run with it," Link shrugged.

"Are you going to tell me what this is all about? That shit about taking over Hyrule isn't what this is about. Between the three of us, you should know that I am fully aware of your intentions."

"Then why do I need to tell you if you already know?" Standing from his spot, he slowly walked toward Ganon. It took only a few strides before Link was standing in front of him. Link standing in front of Ganon was possibly a comical sight; they had a significant height difference, but Ganon knew that Link had a powerful punch in this lifetime.

"We both know that this fighting was never about Hyrule," Link began, tilting his head slightly. "It's not about freeing my– excuse me, your people. This is about revenge now. Petty, petty revenge. When Hylia first intervened, I was nearly at the height of my power. I was roaming the world and the world was exactly the way I wanted it.

"Hylia stopped me, but we know that it would keep happening. I would keep coming back, she would keep coming back, and so would her hero. I may have Link's body but his personality left long ago," Link was smirking. As he spoke, his eyes were gleaming mischievously. The red irises had grown and taken over his eyes, shimmering like a fire. His silver hair was beginning to rise into a shimmering black and silver flame.

Before Ganon's eyes, Link had transformed into the original humanoid form of Demise. It would have been an intimidating transformation to witness had it been anyone but Ganon. He knew exactly what the transformation was, and he knew the power behind it.

"In those days, you didn't need the triforce piece of power. The goddesses wanted to keep the triforce a secret but it would never happen. They would wait generations upon generations, and yet the legend of the triforce would still be around. The legend would spark the curiosity and then it would begin again when the right person was in the right place at the right time," Ganon explained. While Link looked like Demise, his hair never changed from the silver flame, and his scaled skin was a deep green instead of black.

"And what will you do with the triforce once you have it?" Ganon asked, standing his ground before Link with narrowed eyes.

A low chuckle followed the question, "You would think that after several defeats that I would be miserable, but that was all I wanted. Never should Zelda or Link live normal lives. 'Normal' is too good for them. Instead, they are forced to risk their lives. That was my revenge, and it will continue. However, instead of me to continue the cycle, the world will do it for me. Once I'm out of the equation, I can move on with my immortality and find a world where I can pursue what I wish.

"Once I have the triforce, I'll just damn Hylia's and the hero's spirits to this eternal torture. Instead of me, they will face an apocalypse each time. It would be one they could not stop but they would repeat it for several lives."

Ganon shook his head, "Whether you're Link or Demise now, that will not happen. You may get your hands on the triforce, but you will be stopped."

Link smirked, looking into Ganon's eye. The transformation made them an even height. With no warning, Link threw a punch, knocking Ganon back toward the door. The power of the blow caused the door to fall, bringing Ganon skidding into the hall. Putting a hand over the center of his chest, he gulped in air as he tried to recover from it. Without his armor, he felt somewhat vulnerable, but he couldn't let that stop him from defending himself. Briefly, he struggled to reach his feet. When he did, Link was rushing toward him once more.

"Ganon?" Zelda's soft voice rang through his head. Eyes wide, he answered aloud, "Zelda?"

The impact of Link's blow landed in his stomach. In a quick movement, before Ganon was punched into the ceiling, Link had grabbed his shoulders and kneed him in the stomach. The wind was knocked from Ganon's lungs and he felt the pain of broken bones. When Link released his shoulders, Ganon was knocked further down the seemingly endless hallway. He landed on his side, clutching his stomach in pain. Grunting, he tried to get back on his feet.

"Now isn't a good time, Zelda," Ganon mentally spoke to her. He was standing, trying to ignore the throbbing in his torso. He would need to start fighting back and he would not be able to do that while he held a conversation with Zelda.

"What's going on? I can't get through to Amelia and–"

"Do you have all of the stones?"

"Yes, we have them," she responded coldly. He could tell she was angry with him for being short with her. In the meantime, he braced himself in a defensive position.

"I need you to hurry. Link is here and he'll be waiting for you when you come. Be prepared. Fight as much as you can," Ganon tried to encourage her. Cutting off the connection, he focused on Link who was charging him once more.

Without the distraction of talking with Zelda, Ganon was able to dodge and land a few blows on Link. When they had a considerable distance between them, they both began firing dark energy at one another. Slowly, their battle was migrating further down the hall, spewing dark energy and punches or kicks when they got close enough.

"We're pretty evenly matched," Ganon huffed as they were staring each other down. Link answered with a smirk, "It appears so."

Despite the adrenaline pumping through his veins, Ganon's eyelids were heavy and falling. He didn't feel tired, and he had no reason to think that sleeping would be a good idea. Putting a hand on his forehead, he looked at Link, "What are you doing?" He asked with a deep, hoarse voice. Squeezing his eyes shut, he fell onto his hands and knees, fighting the desire to sleep.

"I'll just put you to sleep so I can get what I want. There's no more reason for this," Link chuckled as he approached. Ganon's limbs collapsed beneath him. A numbness that began in his neck slowly traversed his body, making him unable to feel the carpet he collapsed onto. Closing his eyes, he took in a deep breath. There was no way he would let himself fall asleep. The most he could do was fight it, assuming that Link wouldn't be able to manipulate him as long as his eyes remained open.

"You'll give in eventually," Link said nonchalantly. Ganon's body was lifted and moved through the halls. Some of Link's shadow minions were carrying him, Ganon realized. They descended the stairs to the lobby where they paused, adjusting Ganon's position. While he was facing the ground and unable to move his head, his eyes scanned the area as best he could.

With wide eyes, he saw Amelia's back and Oroth farther away. They were not moving and there was a foul stench in the air that made him want to cringe. "You remember Amelia and Oroth, right Ganon? I should probably tell you that you were asleep for a little while. I wanted to deal with them before I dealt with you," Link laughed. Ganon could see Link's waist down to his feet, and watched as Link lifted a hand, gesturing toward Amelia and Oroth. How long had he been asleep?

He heard Link continue rambling, but there was a loud ringing in his ears blocking it out. The thought of Amelia and Oroth being gone for good seemed surreal. It was impossible. For the smell to have gotten as bad as it did, the bodies must have been sitting around for a while, he thought. Closing his eyes, Ganon mentally prepared himself for the worst. What else could Link possibly do to him?

When Ganon opened his eyes, he was facing the ceiling and lying sprawled out on the floor. Link was still talking, but he didn't have the energy to listen to it. Link was a waste of breath, Ganon thought. How the goddesses could have created him, he had no clue. "Link, why will you not just end the cycle for good?"

"I want to see the hero's and wisdom's spirits break over and over," he said simply as he leaned over Ganon. Link appeared upside down to him.

"Do you have no recollection of being the hero?"

"Why does that matter?" Link frowned but he seemed genuinely curious about Ganon's point.

Opening his mouth to speak, Ganon found that he was unable to form the words. Closing his eyes, he fell into a deep sleep.

**Zelda**

It had been two weeks between the time she had talked to Amelia and then spoken with Ganon. In those two weeks, Zelda and Epona had retrieved both stones. They were just riding into Almeia when she contacted Ganon. When he cut her off, she felt her stomach sink, like a stone to the bottom of the lake.

She explained to Epona what she believed had happened and what Ganon said. Epona put a comforting hand to her shoulder and tried to reassure her that everything would be fine. It helped a little bit. Epona had been a great help during the journey.

When Zelda was trying to get the forest's stone, Epona was put to sleep, but the trial they faced in the desert brought them closer together. It was unlike the mental challenges the forest and water displayed. Instead, it was a physical test of strength. Zelda had a good handle on using the bow and arrow, and she was somewhat strong, but not enough so by herself.

When they first arrived in the desert, they were greeted by a poe. After beating it in an old children's game called Naroo, it brought Zelda and Epona where they needed to go. Deep in the desert was an old well and fortress. It had been abandoned for a long time, but it was a suitable shelter from the dust storms.

In the old fortress, they found a jail cell, which connected to a cave. Dwelling in the cave were large, stony lizards ready to fight. Luckily, neither Epona or Zelda had been injured. As they pressed on, they found that it was leading them further underground, making it colder and darker. At one point they were relying on the light that emitted from Zelda's harp.

When they reached the end of the cave's smooth path, they were forced to climb over treacherous ledges. There was a soft glow that emitted from the bottom of the pit; they both had hoped they would not find out what was the source of the glow. Later, they found that it came from a beast dwelling deep inside. Together, Zelda and Epona fought the beast and wound up victorious. The victory introduced them to the guardian of the power stone and gave Zelda the war horn.

It had taken them five days to reach the beast and another three days to leave. Back to safety, they traveled back to the town where they had left their carriage and horses. The night they had returned, they embarked straightaway to Ganon's castle. From the town to the castle it would take about eight days with how often they would need to stop for the horses.

Currently, they were about a day and a half from the castle and just outside of Almeia. "Do you think Link will kill him?" Zelda asked aloud. She knew the answer, and she knew that Epona knew the answer.

"I guess we'll find out," Epona said grimly. They would not be staying the night in Almeia. Instead, they would ride through and try to make it to the castle by morning.

Zelda cast her gaze downward into her hands. Epona was driving the carriage because Zelda was pushing them too much. Inside was a swirling storm of emotion.

Away from Ganon, Zelda realized that she admired him, in a sense. While he was aggressive in making her accompany him, they had warmed up to each other somewhat.

While he wasn't exactly the nicest person, she did feel attached to him and looked up to him in the same way she would a teacher. Zelda hoped she would be able to swordfight with him again soon.

"Stop pouting," Epona said stiffly, looking at her from the corner of her eye. "Looking unhappy is not going to get us there faster. Instead, why don't you focus on trying to fight Link. You seem be conflicted about that."

Epona was right, she thought. When Link got too close, she would have pleasant memories flooding her mind. They weakened her knees and made her not want to fight him at all. Embracing one another seemed more appealing than chopping his head off. Shaking her head, Zelda leaned forward, propped her elbows on her knees and she pressed her forehead into her palms. She felt distressed and conflicted.

_I don't want to kill. I don't even want to fight anyone._

Stopping for the evening and heading out the following day was uneventful. Zelda was a bundle of nerves that grew tighter as they approached the forest. As soon as they stepped over the line, the horses stopped and pawed at the ground anxiously. "Looks like we're walking," Zelda muttered, climbing down. They guided the carriage outside of the forest and freed the horses from their equipment.

_This way, I won't feel guilty if we die._

When they took their first steps into the forest, they felt no change. Discomfort set in when they were unable to see where they had come from. "I feel like we're being watched," Epona whispered. The confident steps they had taken had slowly transitioned into cautious. Zelda nodded to show she had acknowledged Epona's comment, but she felt a lump in her throat.

With the horses, they would have made it to Ganon's castle during the day, but they made it as dusk was greeting the treetops. Zelda thought it looked dark and gloomy before, but now put her first view of it to shame. The outside seemed to have some green around it, but the castle seemed to be glowing black. It glowed the way a dim light did. It almost teased the eyes because it would show just enough for you to realize you weren't where you wanted to be, but too little to tell where you were going.

The approach to the castle was still as dreary as she remembered: a looming sense of dread in the back of her mind mingled with some hope. The hope she clung to was that Ganon, Amelia, and Oroth would be unharmed. She hoped that she would only have to tell Link to go away or the goddesses would come down and lock the evil spirit away. Her instincts told her that there would be much more to it than that. More importantly, her gut was telling her that this would be her last fight.

Epona was just as nervous as she was. Zelda could hear it in Epona's footsteps and her uneven breathing. Feeling that her friend was unnerved made her own confidence shrink. Grimacing, Zelda felt her heart tighten as they stood before the towering doors. Epona and Zelda exchanged a brief look before pushing the doors inward.

The stench that greeted them, made them both cringe and immediately step back. "What _is_ that?" Epona gagged and coughed.

Zelda clamped her hands over her nose and squinted as her eyes began to tear up. Yet, she found the smell to be somewhat familiar. When she was small and had to hunt, the carcasses would begin to smell after some time. The scent invading her nostrils was similar to death. As they fully entered the building, the doors creaked closed behind them. The lobby was dimly lit with candles along the walls, thus it took a moment for their eyes to adjust. When they did, Epona let out a frightened yelp. Amelia and Oroth were dead on the floor of the lobby. Eerily, they were both sitting up as if their backs were on a wall and they had chains around their wrists. Amelia's throat was slit while Oroth had a hole in his abdomen.

Epona choked out a sob and hid her face in her hands. Zelda wrapped an arm around her shoulders and rubbed her arm, trying to hide her trembling. As much sorrow as Zelda's heavy heart bore, a fire fueled in her core. _How was this possible by another person_?

Releasing Epona, Zelda walked between Amelia and Oroth. They were like decorations; they were in line with the door hinges and in the middle of the large room. The positioning made Zelda feel as if she needed to go up the wide staircase. There was nothing more she could do for Amelia and Oroth besides bury them when she was through with Link. Epona was broken, and Zelda wished she could collapse and cry with her. With all of her concentrated willpower, she made her way to the stairs.

How would she be able to face him? She didn't have the mastersword, she only had a bunch of stones, a normal sword, and a bow with some arrows. Closing her eyes, she figured she would have to find out the hard way. Climbing up the stairs, her footsteps grew heavier with each step. At the top, her wide eyes glanced between the two directions she has to choose from.

The familiar flame that was her source of energy suddenly flared. Wielding her sword, she closed her eyes once more to feel for Ganon's presence. It was another gift that the triforce had given her. Following it, she began in the direction she felt he would be in.

Stopping halfway through the hall, she held her sword, ready to fight. "I know you're there Link. I can _feel_ it," she said calmly. Under her breath, she cursed the trembling sword.

"Ah, so you couldn't get the mastersword," Link smiled, appearing before her from thin air. He had his hands behind his back and he no longer resembled the blue-eyed blond her past lives were familiar with. His hair was a flickering silver flame and his eyes were half-lidded livid flames. His skin was scaly and tinted green. Unlike the dark armor he had before, he was wearing pristine white plates on his shoulders, chest, arms, and legs. If it were anyone else, she would have thought he was a knight in shining armor. In the past, she would have thought he _was_ her knight, Zelda thought sadly.

Bringing his left hand up in a tight fist, his smile slithered into a smirk, "I seem to have collected the triforce."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"You," he said too softly.

That same hand thrust forward as if he were going to grab her neck. Immediately, she felt a cold grip on her shoulders, lifting her into the air. When she tried to touch the invisible forces, her hand and sword touched nothing. Kicking and struggling as best she could, he began to approach her. The lift brought her to his eye level; he must have been as tall as Ganon, or taller.

When he got closer, she tried to hit him with her sword, but he swatted it away like a fly. "Before I summon the triforce, do you want to see Ganon?" he asked in a smooth, deep voice. Her movements ceased as she focused on him, trying to decide whether she wanted to or not. He had leaned forward, his lips nearly touching hers, as she was preoccupied thinking about Ganon's condition.

"He's not dead," he whispered, pecking her lips. "Sweet, sweet Zelda. I would not be that cruel to you," he laughed.

Suddenly, Zelda brought her sword to his scaled neck and tried to stab him. Looking from his chest to his eyes, she looked into his eyes, horrified. Somehow, his skin was tough and easily deflected her blade with the sound of metal on metal. With his bare hand, he grabbed her blade, yanked it from her grip, and he positioned the tip against her abdomen. Even with the chainmail she wore, Zelda knew that his strength would be no match for the thin sheet of iron.

"Your weapons do not work on me. Only the mastersword could do me harm," he said confidently. He released her from the invisible hands, catching her with one arm. "Put me down," she said fiercely, pushing him away. He complied by placing her in front of him. He looked down at her and then gestured ahead of them with a nod. "Through the second door on the right," Link said with the ghost of a smirk.

Turning away from him, she jogged to the door and threw it open. Ignoring the fact that Link was on her heels, she rushed into the room. It had two windows, and in the very middle was Ganon. He was sitting up with his head against the wall. He didn't look hurt but he was incredibly pale. Kneeling beside him, she had her hands up, wanting to touch him to see if he was alive. But, he looked so _fragile_.

_What if he's dead?_

He looked lifeless, she thought grimly. A shaking hand touched between his neck and collarbone to feel for a pulse. He had one, but it was faint. "I'm so glad your alive," she breathed and wrapped her arms around his neck. His grunt caused her to pull away. Keeping her hands on his shoulders, she whispered, "I'm here, Ganon."

He shifted and leaned forward before looking at her. "I know where the mastersword is," he said in a low, hushed voice. His gaze shifted to Link, whose smirk faded. Link was walking toward Ganon with a murderous glint in his eyes.

_I know where it is too._

Sorrow filled her already heavy heart; it was time to get rid of Link for good. Closing her eyes, she stood in front of Link with the necklace held to her heart. When she opened them, Link froze with wide eyes. He knew what was coming.

The necklace broke out of her grip and turned into three instruments. It became the flute, harp and war horn floating in midair. Glaring up at Link, she turned on her heel to Ganon and put her hand on his bare, broad chest. Where her hand was pressed a glow emitted. The three instruments began to play a melody that she could barely remember.

"Zelda's Lullaby."

When her hand had a good grip, she pulled away from Ganon with the mastersword. Link was yelling incoherently as he tried to charge her. The instrument vanished, leaving her standing before the frustrated beast. The goddesses had hidden the blade in Ganon's body. It was brilliant and dangerous. Zelda didn't realize that was what the final hint meant until he spoke.

When Zelda had to retrieve the stone, she encountered a Gerudo woman who had left the Gerudo lifestyle long ago. She had claimed to be a sister to Ganon and told Zelda that she would find the blade hidden in a place where the deepest memories of past lives reside. At first, she thought it was Ganon's castle or the Deku tree. But, as she approached Ganon, she knew that it was _he who held the power of wisdom_.

Wasting no time, Zelda ran forward and plunged the sword deep into Link's abdomen. He was unable to move because of the instruments keeping him in place; it was the goddesses showing their support in her. Pulling away, she saw him collapse to his knees with wide eyes clutching his stomach.

A crack of laughter brought her attention away from Link. Blinking, Zelda screamed in frustration and fell onto her knees. The bloody sword fell to the ground as she cupped her bloody hands over her mouth.

Link was not who she had pierced. Ganon, already weak from whatever torture Link had put him through was beginning to cough and choke on his own blood. He clasped two hands over the wound and looked at her with sorrowful green eyes, "After all of that," he coughed. Squeezing his eyes shut, he coughed once more.

When Zelda had pulled the blade out, he got to his feet with help from the wall. Standing with his hands over the wound she gave him, he looked down at her with a sort of anger she couldn't describe. His look _hurt_. Couldn't he see that she didn't mean it? Couldn't he understand that she would never hurt him?

Devastated, Zelda couldn't understand what was happening. How could she have hurt _him_? It was Link that she saw and then she blinked. All it took was a blink. It was Link that she stabbed, in her mind. Grabbing the sword once more, she stood and turned to face Link. Charging at him, she saw that he wasn't moving as she approached. Stopping short with the blade by her side, shaking eyes looked up at him. Doubt clouded her mind.

_Am I going to kill Link or Ganon?_

Taking a step back, she held the sword up in a defensive stance, "Ganon, I'm sorry," she choked out, holding back her tears as best she could. Zelda blinked her tears back, never taking her eyes from Link. If the waterworks started, they would never stop. "I didn't mean to hurt you," she took a step back toward Ganon. She wasn't sure if he wasn't even awake to hear her apology.

"Goddesses, bring me the triforce," Link bellowed, raising his hand to the ceiling.


	19. Chapter 18

As he stood with his fist in the air, time slowed down. The instruments, that had momentarily helped her, were on the ground, broken and useless. Her blue eyes were fixed on Ganon over her shoulder. He had some blood on his lips, and he was trying to keep himself from losing more blood. The few times he glanced at her, the crease in his brow became defined, and his clenched teeth made him appear angry. At that point, Zelda was sure he didn't hear her apologies. Perhaps he didn't want to.

Shaking it off, Zelda ran toward Link. What if it would turn out to be Ganon again? She wasn't sure what she would do but she needed to attack. Tight fists brought the sword handle to her left and her arms tensed with each step in her sprint.

Suddenly, she stopped. It wasn't her choice, however. The abrupt stop caused her to nearly fall forward but her legs moved mechanically to keep it from happening.

"What–"

She spun around to face Ganon and her body took up the same position she had toward Link; sword ready, she was about to run toward Ganon. Shaking her head with widened eyes, she yelled at Link, "What are you doing to me?" His deep laugh was her only response. Even though she didn't want to move, Zelda felt the muscles in her legs tense as they wrestled with her willpower to bring her forward.

It was a frighteningly confusing situation for her. She was unable to control herself physically, yet her emotions ran rampant and she yearned to only stop Link. Somewhere back there, in the very depth of her mind was a seed of doubt she had once watered in the beginning of her journey with Ganon. It was surfacing in her mind once more and it was stronger than ever. It was demanding that she send her blade through Ganon's heart and finish him. It was commanding her to murder him and run to Link's side.

A mental war raging in her mind diverted her focus from her body that was being moved against her will. How was he doing this? How could the goddesses create someone powerful enough to manipulate someone?

"Ganon, move!"

He looked up at her with his green gaze. He was glaring at her, she realized. Zelda felt her heart break, "I'm not doing this on purpose," she argued with a voice that cracked multiple times. A dim golden glow was coming from behind her. Looking down at the blade's reflection, she saw that the light was drowning Link. "I don't want to hurt you," Zelda's voice choked as she looked back to Ganon.

He had been standing with his back against the wall. Ganon leaned forward with a large hand covering the stab wound. He took a few steps toward her as she felt her arms tense, ready to swing the sword at him. Closing her eyes, she prepared herself to kill the man that had slowly become her companion.

"Get away! I don't want to kill you!"

Despite his weakness, with his free hand, he pushed her dominant shoulder back, and in a swift movement he had kicked her legs out from beneath her. He took the mastersword from her stony grip and looked down at her, "He's controlling you," he said quietly.

Zelda lay on her back, terribly confused. Her limbs felt like heavy stones and no matter how she tried, they would not budge. They didn't even try to get the mastersword back. She knew she was being controlled by Link, but she wasn't sure how. He was going to _kill_ her before she killed _him_. He had never killed her in her previous lives. Closing her eyes, she braced herself for the inevitable.

Instead, she felt a firm hand on her wrist and an invisible string snapped. Her body was free. Sitting up abruptly, she stared at the crouching Ganon. The mastersword was in his hand, but the blade was on the carpeted floor. "Your bracelet was the problem," he mumbled. Wearily, he shifted the blade's handle so that it was facing her. He was handing the blade back over to her.

"The mastersword should not have been able to hurt me," Ganon began, taking a shaky breath. She wondered why it had. Before she could ask, he spoke. "It's too late to stop Link from casting his desire over the triforce," he paused and cast a weary glance toward Link, "We have failed to stop him this time."

Zelda looked over her shoulder to see the goddesses' human forms surrounding him. It would have been beautiful had she not known his intentions. She looked to see Ganon's solemn expression, "I'm sorry that I failed." He changed position so that he was sitting with his ankles crossed, but his behind was on the ground. How he was moving as well as he was with a hole in his abdomen baffled her. "This world will fade," she continued, casting her gaze downward, "The goddesses willed it to fail and Hyrule will be no more."

"That's true," Ganon nodded. "We failed but we didn't give up."

Her hands curled into tight fists by her sides on the carpet, "It was because of that stupid bracelet," she glared at the torn, fragile piece of metal on the ground. It was the bracelet she had received from the older woman when Ganon and her had first started their journey. "It was probably the reason why Link was able to bother me in my dreams," she concluded aloud.

He nodded again, "I had a hunch but I had no reason to think it was the cause. I wish I had acted on it."

She looked up at him. Hyrule was going to crash into destruction and they were having a casual conversation before the inevitable doom. Was there truly nothing they could do? Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the three stones they had gone through the trouble of gathering. "What use were these if they couldn't help me regain my piece of the triforce and stop him?"

"Those gems represent the spirits that you set free. They were caught in turmoil," Ganon reached forward and gently took them into his clean hand. They were small; each piece was slightly larger than the pad of her thumb. "What they did for you physically was grant you access to the mastersword," he explained coolly with his hoarse voice.

"I remember being told that I would get courage back," Zelda said softly as she took the stones back into her sweaty palm.

"We were too late for that," Ganon chuckled. "Link was one step ahead of us in this life, but those stones may hold the key for delaying our own destruction. They hold more spiritual power. If we could call upon the guardians of the stones, we may still have a chance," he smiled, pressing the stones into her open palm.

"There are still so many unanswered questions. This can't be the end of it," Zelda said as her eyes locked with his, "What will a few stones be able to do to save us?"

Before he could answer, Link had finished the deal with goddesses and he was standing over Ganon and Zelda. "You still think there's hope for yourselves? I'll do you both a favor and kill all the people who inherited the sacred spirits and kill them. Once they're released we can prepare for the _new_ cycle," he smiled. Zelda looked up at him, feeling defeated. Epona would have been disappointed in her, she thought.

Despite her heavy heart, she brought herself to her feet, holding the mastersword tightly in her left hand. She wouldn't make it easy for him to kill her. Zelda swung the sword. It practically bounced off of his armor, but he jumped away. It was her intent to make him move away from Ganon. She glanced at him, hoping he would take the hint to run. His solemn nod told her he understood. Stepping forward, Zelda collected herself both mentally and physically for the fight.

"The goddesses gave me all of the power they could and you think that I can't kill you? The mastersword is nothing against the goddesses' blessings, you know."

"They may have blessed you, but they still want us to win."

"Zelda, the goddesses favor no one," he said tenderly. His body seemed to soften as well. His eyes portrayed pity as he continued, "Just when you think they're on your side they turn and then you're left alone. They have done that to me in so many lifetimes. I forced them to give me their blessings, and now I am invincible in this world."

Zelda's brow furrowed as she glared at him, "In nearly every cycle Ganon would get his hands on the triforce or get so close to it that it almost hurt to tear it away from him. This cycle is no different. You're hoping that this is the end."

He took a step toward her, reaching a hand out, "It doesn't make me feel nice to see you look at me like that. I've seen you cast that gaze on Ganon when he would kidnap you and hold you as prisoner until I rescued you."

She took a step back, keeping her sword up, "It _shouldn't_ make you feel nice. You gave in to the feeling of power and that's why we're here to stop you. Because _you_ gave in we need to do this. You won't be able to return to a normal life now you've fully accepted the roll as Demise's hatred." She wondered if his acceptance meant that the cycle would be changed forever. Would her and Ganon always receive wisdom and courage? Her frown deepened as she thought of the onslaught of memories that had persuaded her to take Link's side.

Her eyes widened slightly as she thought about her next life. She would see Ganon becoming her friend, and Epona and Impa. Would she remember all of the killing, or were they called sacrifices? Would she remember the pain she felt when she had stabbed Ganon? Would she remember how proud she was when she was able to fend off Epona's sword?

"This is where my role in the cycle ends," he said with a sad smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. With a movement she couldn't track, he appeared a short distance in front of her. He extended his hand and placed his thumb and index finger on her jaw. Gently, he lifted her chin until their eyes met. The position strained her neck because of the vast height difference. "I'm going–"

Zelda didn't let him finish. Her frown turned into what she could only describe as an animalistic snarl as her curled, baring her teeth. Jerking back, she removed her jaw from his chilled fingers and swung her sword. Stepping backward, she was panting with a racing heart. A dull thud reached her ears, but her eyes were glued to Link's flaming stare. She had sliced his arm off at the elbow.

For a moment, he stared at her with the same tender gaze. When his eyes fell to the bloody stump, he looked back to her with a frown and expressionless face. The dullness made her heart skip a beat from fear, but she did not regret hurting him. It was progress in her mind. "Zelda, this is a pointless fight," he said in a monotone, "You will gain nothing from harming me." As his taciturn voice chilled her blood, she glanced where the flesh from his arm should have been to find it gone. Where it lay was a cloud of black smoke evaporating into the air. Glancing back to his arm, she saw that it was fully healed as if nothing had happened. Even the armor on his forearm was in tact.

Link rushed forward, thrusting his hand toward her heart. Zelda had rarely felt as if she had slow reflexes until he moved. She never knew how to deal with surprises, but when it came to speedy reflexes, she had some of the best. That was so, until she was fighting Link. He was faster than what her eyes could follow and it was terrifying. She positioned the sword diagonally across her torso, closed her eyes, and gritted her teeth in preparation for the impact.

When it didn't come, she saw that he was battling a warm golden light emitting from the blade. No matter how he punched it, it was deflected; it was similar to throwing pebbles against a thick stonewall.

_Chosen hero, use the stones __**now**_!

Zelda glanced to her hand that was clenched in a tight fist holding the small stones. _How_ was she expected to use them? Closing her eyes, she concentrated on slowing her heart and speaking with the stones' guardians: Rutela, Saria, and the Gerudo woman, Narfalia. If it's one thing using the necklace had taught her, it was how to calm down and create an open communication with the goddesses. Opening her eyes, she saw Link's grimace as he was trying to attack her from all sides. He was screaming about being favored, and shouting about how the goddesses had betrayed him.

Her vision faded into a bright white. The three guardians stood before her, ready to help her, she assumed.

"We will not be able to stop him from moving to another world," Rutela said in her deep, all-knowing voice.

"He will remain the same monster he is now. You will be given a second chance to defeat him," Saria added in her kind, youthful tone.

"We will only be able to protect your spirits and not your bodies. You will undergo a terrible physical pain as punishment for being unable to fulfill your duties as the hero," Narfalia chimed in. Like Rutela, her voice was deep yet it had an edge to it.

"I'll accept this punishment as long as Ganon and Epona are given the chance to escape with as little pain as possible," Zelda said quickly. They glanced at one another before looking at her with grim looks.

"You will be bearing the pain worth three souls," Rutela explained.

Saria brought her hands over her heart and looked up, further into the endless whiteness, "I can feel how strongly you wish to relieve them. We can grant it to you but the pain you will face…"

Narfalia had a proud, sad smile, "Thank you for taking care of my brother."

The three guardians looked at one another once more, and then looked to Zelda's icy gaze. As quickly as it had taken over, the whiteness retreated and Zelda was returned to Link's gruesome face.

**The End**

The invisible, golden stonewall had disappeared and Zelda was left to face the torture he fed her body. Before she slipped into her eternal slumber, possibly many years later, she heard him speak of the next cycle. Since he had kept her, she had been in and out of deep sleep. She saw the new world he planned to control, and she wallowed in her mistakes each day. It was a world the Hylians would have never known. It was full of tall buildings, glowing signs, and there was no magic. It wasn't too unique compared to Hyrule, but it was certainly a culture shock.

The people that approached Link as their ruin came about were terrible. They were greedy and sought monetary compensation in exchange for permanent damage they would cause _for_ him. It was a world she truly had no desire to be apart of, but she knew she would face it once Link let her pass.

That was when she realized that his mistake was switching worlds. He _was_ invincible in Hyrule. Here, that rule would not hold true.

And finally… it was time.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

That ended rather quickly, didn't it? Well, good. This actually has a planned sequel to it, in case you couldn't tell by the ending. Look out for the sequel which will take place closer to modern times. A lot of what wasn't addressed in this first bit is answered in the second, and possibly third.

Thank you for reading. Feel free to drop comments, questions, and concerns to me privately or by reviewing my story. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed creating it!

This is also posted on Wattpad. It's a bit easier to read on mobile. The sequel will also be posted on there too.  
>www .wattpad story33620752-inverted-triforce (just take the spaces out)


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